The Birth of Snowe
by Delyth the Storyteller
Summary: Jazlyn has always been a loner and untrusting toward strangers since she was a small cub. In her eyes, trust is earned and working alone as a thief is safer than with a partner. At least, that's what she thought until she met the infamous Sly Cooper and his gang. Somehow, she's been dragged into Cooper's gang war with the Klaww Gang and becomes a target with their enforcer.
1. Prologue

**Hello, y'all! I've had this idea for a while now and finally, decided to put up the first chapter. I wanted to make sure that my plans for the story itself planned out before I posted it on FFnet, and so far, it's going great! I hope to update at least every two weeks? We'll see how it pans out since I'm still in the middle of college and its annoying workload.**

 **Anyway, I hope you enjoy this first chapter and I'll try to post the next one two weeks from Friday!**

 **~Delyth**

* * *

 _Prologue_

 _Living On_

Snowy strands fell to her mid-back in wet ringlets and would have blended in with her silvery coat if it wasn't for the dark leopard print sprinkling along her fur. She wrapped her tail around her left leg, hunching her shoulders to appear smaller, and tried to keep the rest of the cafeteria from keeping their focus on her. Maybe if she just accepted defeat and humiliation then they would get bored. Thick lashes caught the tears from escaping their emerald confines and she stared resolutely at her tray of food.

Behind her and slapping high fives were two boys that often took great pleasure in making her life miserable. The snow leopardess knew that while it was abnormal for someone of her species to live in such a warm climate, she didn't think that they would treat her as an unwanted peasant. She was meant to be a ghost amongst the snow and mountains, silent as the bare whispers of the wind, and nearly invisible to all eyes; however, Jazlyn had caught the eyes of more people than she would have liked to have focus on her.

While on the shorter side of her species' genetic make-up, Jazlyn still had the elegance and beauty her breed were known for. Her limbs were perfect lines that ended with slim fingers and toes, the contours of her face were smooth and sharp, and the slight curve of her waist and hips were appealing to the eye. Most males saw her as a white fence board and tended to jeer at the long, fluffy tail that trailed behind her whenever she walked. It wasn't her fault that her species needed the appendage for extra balance when running about, but what could the lions or tigers say to her anyway? They had just as much tail as she did, maybe a little less than hers by a few inches, but Jazlyn sneered at them for being such hypocrites. At least she didn't try to act like something she obviously wasn't.

Slowly, the teenager stood up from the table and picked up her tray to head out the cafeteria. Mentally, she was envisioning the scene playing much differently than her just walking away without a fight. The image of Jazlyn turning around and landing a kick on the cackling wolf's jaw was so clear that she could taste it. Her tail twitched, the only sign that she was truly irritated over the entire situation, and the minute her tray was placed atop the garbage can, Jazlyn could already hear the second bout of snickers as another paw peered in her vision. Before she could move out the way, a glob of mashed potatoes slammed into her snout and nearly sent her reeling backwards. Roaring laughter erupted within the food court as she fumbled with her paws to clear her nostrils.

A soft growl parted from her lips before she could stop it and the bull paused to raise an eyebrow at her. His horns weren't nearly as big as a full-grown bull yet, but they were large enough that Jazlyn should worry for her safety if he decided to use her body as a sharpening tool. She darted around him just as his fist came down on the floor where she'd been and rushed out the door with all the speed she could muster. Her legs were stronger than some of the best athletes in their school and, while she ran every morning before school with the dance team, Jazlyn couldn't sprint for long periods of time. She chanced a glance back to see that the bull had gathered some of his friends to help chase her, and the snow leopardess felt her heart sink when the cheetah caught her eye. It would be a miracle if she could outrun him, but at the very least she could maneuver her body better thanks to her tail.

Jazlyn swerved around a corner, sliding underneath a few janitors carrying a teacher's desk down the hall at the last second. She didn't bother to release a sigh of relief when she saw it in time, but continued on her way in the search of a perfect hiding spot. Already her breathing was becoming labored as she constantly switched directions and climbed stairs in the hopes of the boys getting tired. They were far more persistent than she initially hoped as she passed an open window.

Her sneakers squealed against the tile as a brilliant idea quite literally smacked her in the head. Turning on her heel, Jazlyn darted to the windowsill and glanced down. They were only on the second floor but even with her strong legs she risked snapping them in half at this height. She bit her lip in thought as a tree branch caught her attention. Jade eyes brightened in excitement as she hopped on the window frame and braced her paws, her tail swaying in anticipation. Pounding steps and breathing harshly, her pursuers took one look at her and skidded to a halt. They shuffled into a semicircle around her, their grunts and wheezing making her ears twitch, and the same bull took a slow step forward, unsure if she would immediately jump.

"C'mon, Snowe, we're only going to roughen you up a little. There's no need to do _that_." Tyler, the bull, indicated her current position with a hoof as he continued to make his way forward. His voice was like coaxing a crazed animal from a corner that didn't at all match the eagerness in his burning eyes.

Muscles tensed tightly in her thighs as she gathered her legs for the jump, and her brows furrowed in concentration as she judged the distance. It was maybe five feet from the window, but Jazlyn was confident that she could make it without much trouble. Her only worry was the possibility of Tyler grabbing her tail as she leapt. Not wanting to waste any more time and giving the bull more of a chance to close the distance, the snow leopardess jerked her head toward the branch and pushed off the windowsill. Startled cries followed after her as she flew through the air, the soft breeze combing its fingers through her fur and sending a jolt of delight through her system. Reaching out with her paws, she grabbed the tree limb and dug her claws into the bark for traction. She breathed deeply as she dangled a few seconds before hoisting herself up.

One leg hung off the side while the other rested underneath her body as she gave a feral grin at the gawking males. Hell, Tyler and the rest of his crew looked like they were about to fall out the building themselves. She gave a two-finger salute and began to climb her way down. That was one way to avoid conflict with a bunch of idiots.

Unfortunately, the teenager wasn't counting on the dean of their school to be walking around the courtyard at that moment. She landed in front of the old fox sheepishly, lacing her paws behind her back and wrapping her tail around her ankle.

"Enjoying an afternoon climb, are we, Miss Jazlyn?" Unamused by her attempt to appear innocent, Dr. Jun motioned for her to walk with him, and she lowered head in submission as the stout old dean led the way to his office. From the window, she heard more snickers but they quickly stopped the minute Dr. Jun called out, "I better not see any of you wandering about the halls by the time that tardy bell rings, boys. Otherwise, I can assure all of you will find a summons to my office."

They scattered, their voices raising a little in mild panic before fading away. Jazlyn resisted the urge to chuckle at how ironic the situation was. Even though Dr. Jun was a fox, he had most of the top tier predators under his authority and had no problems dealing with their even scarier parents. She couldn't imagine what he had to do in order to gain that respect, but she definitely admired him for it.

But even so, they wouldn't get in trouble when it had been their fault to begin with. Jazlyn rubbed her arm nervously, amusement completely gone now, as they made it into the fox's large office, and she sat in the leather chair in front of the large, wooden desk.

"Miss Jazlyn, this is the third time I have caught you climbing down from a tree. Not to mention your abhor behavior with the other students has reached dangerous levels." Dr. Jun sighed, rubbing his graying temples. "I'll have to call Ms. Fowle about this."

"Yeah, I know," Jazlyn mumbled, turning her head and staring out the lone window. She heard the landline being pulled from its bed and the fox's fingers quickly dialed her family's lawyer. While Ms. Fowle wasn't able to take her in, the lawyer made it her personal duty to ensure that Jazlyn was given fair treatment in the orphanage and nominated herself as the teenager's guardian in all things related to the outside world. Hence why the school's dean dialed her personal cell phone rather than the director of Happy Campers. Jazlyn already knew that it was going to be a rather long trip back to the orphanage and began to prepare herself mentally for the strict lecture.

 _I should've just let them beat me up._ She steeled her spine at the exasperated sound of Ms. Fowle's voice coming through the phone.

 **~o~**

"Jaz, just what am I going to do with you?" Ms. Fowle sighed as she drove them back to her office.

Deciding that it was probably best if she kept the sarcastic retort to herself, Jazlyn resigned to looking out the window as Paris's middle-working class neighborhood flied passed. The grandmotherly stern voice of Ms. Fowle's exasperation and mild frustration at having to pick her up from school once again faded into the background. It wasn't that the teenager didn't want to listen the old owl who was the last connection to the happier times of her childhood, but it was just the same scolding over and over again. The barn owl had been her family's immediate lawyer ever since they started their own business long before Jazlyn had been born. She was there when no one else with family ties came to claim Jazlyn when she was five-years-old, and Ms. Fowle had done her best to replace her parents as best she could. It wasn't her fault that she wasn't able to take her in, but she always made it a point to check up on Jazlyn as much as possible and take her out for special occasions.

Even so, Jazlyn was beginning to tire of constantly being brought back from school with warnings that she'd be expelled if she didn't straighten out. In reality, she wasn't the one who needed to be warned about misdemeanors and starting fights when she never did in the first place. As much as she liked Dr. Jun, she hated how much he allowed Tyler and his little pack take advantage of the quiet students.

God, Jazlyn really just wanted to escape it all—to get away from high school, the bullies, and everyone who looked down on her with pity. She would be eighteen in three years and that meant she'd be kicked out of the orphanage soon no matter how she looked at it. Ms. Fowle could take her in for a while, but with the barn owl about to retire soon and having to pay her own children's tuitions, there was no way she could take in another mouth to feed. Besides, Jazlyn would never encroach on Ms. Fowle's kindness and willingness to help her like that.

In the end, she'd just have to figure out a way to survive on her own. Just like she always did—whether that meant fighting or fleeing, she'd survive and live for her parents. It's what they'd want her to do.


	2. A Brief Encounter

**_Wow, I'm a couple of days late, but life has decided to make me extremely busy. That being said, I apologize for the late upload and I hope y'all enjoy it!_**

 ** _Also, a quick shout out to everyone who favored and followed this story! I'm glad y'all are liking it so far and continue to like it as the chapters come and go! Please enjoy the next chapter and I'll see y'all in about two weeks!_**

 ** _~Delyth_**

* * *

 _Chapter One_

 _A Brief Encounter_

Dusk was long gone, and the café was quiet except for a middle-aged monkey sitting near the door who sipped lazily from his coffee mug. His hands shook slightly as he held the cup to his lips, the expensive porcelain trembled and sloshed the hot liquid over the side of its white shell. Blue-gray eyes flicked from side of the street to the other, toward the exit of the café, and the few employees who were getting ready to close its doors for the night.

Despite the late hour, they allowed him to sit in the café while they cleaned and prepared for the next day. He'd been sitting in the same spot, attempting to calm his nerves with coffee, for over four hours, and yet the golden-brown furred monkey could fidget nervously with his hands. There was a reason why he was so nervous, and Thomas had long since lost his calm after receiving word from the Klaww Gang that they'd hired a new…enforcer. The last one had failed to complete his task and tie up loose ends after the job in Cairo, Egypt. Thomas hadn't been there when the job had gone down, but rumor had it that while they successfully retrieved the Clockwerk parts, their enforcer had been sloppy after the heist. As a result, the heads of the Klaww Gang decided that having someone who couldn't handle a simple job like that had no right to be a member nor worth the pay.

Thomas swallowed, pulling at his shirt collar again, and attempted to take another sip from his mug. Even though he was supposed to meet with the guy to tell him about his duties and his first job, Thomas was no fool. Most of their enforcers were hard, coldblooded killers who'd gladly turn on those who paid them to slaughter and assassinate their targets. He only had a name and a brief description of what they looked like, but he still twitched at every sound the workers made while they finished. If this guy didn't hurry up then Thomas would have to leave the report to Arpeggio or—he shuddered—Rajan about his failure to meet up with their enforcer.

"Don't worry, guys, I'll lock the doors and clean this dude's mug." A panther, sleek and black with violet eyes, called out to his co-workers with a smile. He was tall and lean like most felines with long, athletic legs that were more than capable of leaping over long distances. The café's khaki uniform didn't fit the color of his fur right, but his current appearance didn't seem to bother him at all as he locked the doors his co-workers left through.

Without a word, he walked across the room to the other double-sided doors to slide the deadbolt into place. Thomas could barely control his trembling now and didn't dare pick up his cup after meeting those depthless violet eyes. He'd never seen a panther with that shade of purple before—most of them had variations of green or hazel. As the black panther stalked toward his table, Thomas tried to control his breathing and gather what very little calm he had left so he could speak without gasping like a fish out of water. Thomas watched as the male grabbed the chair from across him and twirled it expertly around so he could straddle it. Behind the panther, his tail swayed slowly back and forth, which only made the monkey more apprehensive the longer the predator stared at him.

Finally, Thomas found his voice to ask, "Am I…am I speaking to Slicer?"

Amused, the panther grinned, showing off his sharp fangs that almost made Thomas's heart stop. "Yeah, that'd be me. You can call me Darius if you'd like."

Thomas nodded slowly as he reached for the suitcase he'd brought with him containing important documents for his assignment and information on where he would live once he relocated. "The boss wanted you to read over these—they have all the information you need to complete your job and where you'll be staying while working. I was also told to mention you are to protect both Dimitri and his part of Clockwerk from any thieves who might attempt to steal them. You'll find out more once you read the documents."

"Does that include using deadly force if necessary?" Those violet eyes gleamed with bloodlust and Thomas tried to hide his shudder by coughing.

"The boss said, 'by any means necessary.' He doesn't want it to be messy though—so, keep the kill quiet and out of the media."

Darius nodded, his eyes still gleaming brightly in the dark. "Very well. I'll do my part as long as they pay me." He stood up from the chair, grabbing both the suitcase and half-full mug of coffee from the table with grace. "Why don't you go run along then, eh? Don't want anyone to start wondering why the two of us are still in here."

Thomas stood up from his chair as well and tentatively walked around the table toward the only exit that Darius hadn't locked. He didn't look back as he heard the sink running from the kitchen and he nearly ran down the street toward his car if it weren't for what remained of his self-control. Darius knew he was frightening and intimidating when he tried, he could smell Thomas's fear, but even so, the monkey wanted to have at least _some_ dignity.

If it weren't for the nature of his job and how long he'd been handing practical death warrants or security details to enforcers like Darius, then he'd feel guilty for it. Instead, all he could be thankful for was that it wasn't his head he was practically throwing on a silver platter for the Slicer.

 _I'd hate to cross paths with him over some dumb Clockwerk parts. My life is worth more than that old metal bird's organs and shit._ Thomas started his car and floored it in the opposite direction of his apartment—he couldn't risk the chance that Darius might decide to kill the messenger since he'd seen his identity. Even so, he wouldn't leave the Klaww Gang no matter what happened to him because the money was beyond worth it.

 **~o~**

Despite the dark streets and the threat of a possible mugging, Jazlyn continued down the sidewalk with barely a care for the world. She'd long since forgotten what it was like to truly be afraid after three years of living on the streets and thieving in order to survive. Her footsteps were ghostlike as she passed over a flickering light pole, and Jazlyn pushed her paws further into the pockets of her raggedy fur hoodie. She'd have to get a new one soon if she didn't want to look too suspicious whenever she talked to trusting tourists asking for directions or to take a picture of them together.

At first, she'd been so surprised out easy it was to pick-pocket and scam trusting, oblivious tourists or Parisians. She slowly gained confidence the more she pick-pocketed and stole until she began to rob small department stores of food, clothes, or electronics. There were also rare occurrences when she'd delve into more dangerous thieving by staking out small businesses that sold expensive antiques or, if she was lucky, art painted by a famous artist. Those types of jobs were always very risky and one false move or an error that could lead the authorities back to her, and she'd be done.

Despite the dangerous and dark path she chose after running away, Jazlyn didn't regret anything. She'd left a note for Ms. Fowle on the old owl's desk in her house before leaving their little suburban area for the sparkling streets of Paris. There was still a little bit of guilt for running without giving her only connection to her parents a formal goodbye, but Ms. Fowle wouldn't approve of what she was doing at all. And, she _certainly_ wouldn't agree with her form of living now—she'd always had strong morals about stealing or murder. She used to tell Jazlyn that stealing or killing other mammals was never the right way to live because those criminals had given into dangerous instincts that only brought chaos or heartbreak to others. There was never a time Jazlyn ever thought she'd be stealing in order to make a living, but she didn't feel any different—not like the criminals Ms. Fowle had always condemned as insane mammals who'd lost their sense of self. If anything, Jazlyn only felt more alive the more she thieved and lived on the edge of being caught by authorities.

In order to stay under the radar, the snow leopardess found a way to sell her loot safely without it backtracking to her. She'd only been searching for ways to sell the items she'd stolen without the police realizing they had a way to track her down. Her loot had been safely secured in a small empty and abandoned warehouse she'd watched and patiently waited for weeks before deciding it was safe. She wasn't going to risk anyone finding her secret treasure and kept them hidden in a small compartment the teenager had made with the help of a shovel, lumber, and lots of old debris. She knew she couldn't keep it there forever and after months had passed in her first year as a thief, Jazlyn finally found a site that would ensure not only her safety but any customers who were interested. ThiefNet literally saved her starving ass and kept her from being found out.

She had a few contacts within the ThiefNet community that she'd chat with every now and again. It didn't matter how often they opened with small talk and pleasantries, Jazlyn and her fellow thieves eventually talked about their latest heists—what could've been different, exchanging ideas to fix mistakes, and most of all, a chance to learn new skills. There was a reason why she kept to smaller heists rather than the more elaborate and (in)famous heists some of her "friends" did. After all, the teenager was a novice when it came to hacking security systems and she didn't have two or three more mammals to give her a helping hand or watch her back. She was completely on her own, but despite how lonely that sounded, Jazlyn wasn't that bothered by it anymore. It was better to be alone, she'd decided after running away, than face ridicule and pain for _who_ she was deep down.

Jazlyn shook her head and chuckled to herself. How she'd change in the last three years since converting to this lifestyle. Already, she knew that even if she was eventually caught, Jazlyn would never give up this new life she created for herself. Maybe it was selfish or foolish, but she didn't care. Even though she has nothing to be ashamed of, Jazlyn wonders if her parents are looking down on her from heaven in mild disappointment at what their daughter is doing.

Her legs continued down the street—completely on autopilot as she made her back to the warehouse. She shrugged her hoodie closer to her shoulders, a chilly breeze cutting through her thick silver and caramel spotted fur despite the fact her species were built for the cold, bitter winds of the northern mountains. Even snow leopards like Jazlyn are capable of feeling chilly whenever the weather was cold enough. The weather in Paris wasn't stifling or freezing, but the summer winds were beginning to change as winter neared. She was still able to wear her shorts and long-sleeved shirt underneath her hoodie at night without much issue, and during the day, the snow leopardess would tie the jacket around her waist.

The polished and well-kept streets of the main districts in Paris faded to worn cobbled and pot-holed covered paths. Street lamps once brightly lit were now barely hanging on to fight the growing darkness of the night as they flickered weakly. Tall abandoned buildings once the homes and small businesses of Parisians who'd taken a like to the working old district during the late seventies. Hippies and other mammals wanting a chance to live away from the riots over the Vietnam War, so they moved to a quiet district that had fewer buildings and more land for their children. Jazlyn often wondered what this place used to look like in its heyday before everything crumbled.

There were parts of the abandoned, broken streets that were difficult to cross and Jazlyn preferred a much faster route than walking through the old district once she was away from wandering eyes. The last thing she needed was someone seeing her flipping, jumping, and running along the rooftops. It was better to be a ghost in the wind—fading into the crowds and disappearing from more observant eyes.

She took a deep breath to calm her heart as it instantly began to speed up in anticipation and excitement. Her left leg stepped back slightly in preparation for her first jump to a stable though rusty fence. Emerald eyes brightened as she burst forward with speed, the muscles in her legs bulging as she leapt onto the fence and began to run toward the fire escape to the nearest rooftop. Her feet were confident as they continued on the narrow surface of the fence pole—she'd walked on far much narrower surfaces and often times she was thankful all the practice spent on balance in dance class. Without pausing in her careful jog, Jazlyn leapt onto the fire escape and began to climb her way up to the roof. Her breathing was still smooth if a little faster than normal as her excitement began to overtake her. She'd always enjoyed what little parkour she knew and learned since beginning her thieving career.

Strong winds beat against her face as she stood on the rooftop and she closed her eyes at the feel of such freedom. Her hair fluttered against her back and her tail swished behind her as she took stride again. Laughter bubbled up in her throat as she leapt across the distance between the apartment building and the next with ease. She picked up speed and decided that showing off a little wouldn't hurt as the teenager ran along the side of the entrance to the roof from the building. Her legs met empty air after running out of brick wall and she flipped to the side to land on an old satellite with a grin. She pushed off it and started a somersault toward the next leap over another roof. At the last second, Jazlyn straightened and pushed off the side of the roofing with an elated crow of delight.

Man, she'd missed feeling like the world was off her shoulders and she could simply fly far away.

By the time she reached the warehouse, it was well past midnight and she still had to make sure the next shipment of goods was polished and checked thoroughly for any damage. It wasn't required on her part on most occasions, but she found that her clients appreciated her thoroughness when sending stolen goods across borders. In any case, she wouldn't be able to stake out her next possible heist until that was finished first. She landed on the rickety metal slats that acted as the roof for the warehouse and carefully made her way to the makeshift entrance. There was a hole just wide enough for her to fit through without the sharp edges of the metal scratching into her fur. She dropped down to an old cargo box with ease and began to descend from the staircase she'd made.

Her feet thumped lightly on the dusty floor and paused, her ears perking and swiveling along her head. She swished her tail back and forth in agitation, her senses not picking up whatever it was that had tipped her off. There was something wrong—something out of place or a scent that wasn't supposed to be here. Jazlyn sniffed the air, her eyes shutting to concentrate, and she shifted through the familiar smells of rust, mildew, dust, and old trash leftover from rambunctious teenagers. Amongst all these scents was one that definitely didn't belong here and her spine straightened, her lip curled in a snarl, and involuntarily, her claws descended from their sheaths.

She resisted the urge to growl in frustration as she stalked quietly around her territory. There was a tiny sound—a mere whisper really—from the far side of the warehouse where she hid her prized possessions and loot. The snow leopardess's green eyes sharpened in the dark as she weaved through the various debris littering the floor expertly, and Jazlyn stayed hidden within the deepest of shadows, avoiding the sliver of moonlight from holes in the dilapidated metal slats. There was a reason why she'd made sure no one was interested in this place and it was months before she decided the place suitable for her needs. She'd been thorough as any rookie thief could be and the fact someone had possibly stumbled upon it seriously pissed her off—this was _hers._ This old warehouse had become a home to her—a center of operations and safehouse when she needed to lay low for a while.

For this mammal (or mammals, she couldn't be sure as how many were here yet) to invade her home like this—Jazlyn bit back another snarl as she grew closer to the voice. And it was clear to her now that it was only one mammal here, a male gray raccoon who seemed to be talking to someone else through a pair of binoculars? She shook her head clear of the confusion swirling in her mind at that fact and stalked around another row of boxes to get a closer look. He was dressed in a bright blue shirt with gold trimming along the collar that matched the scheme of his gloves. On his head was a well-worn and faded royal blue cap that sat firmly between his ears. She couldn't make out his facial features due to the large binoculars blocking her view, but even without that, Jazlyn knew that this wasn't any run of the amok kids causing trouble or some thug. No, with his lean physique and muscles well-honed from climbing, running, and no doubt _thieving,_ she knew she was dealing with a possible pro. Based on what little she could see, Jazlyn deducted that the male standing before her with golden-tipped curved cane in hand was none other than the infamous Sly Cooper.

The Coopers were a long line of thieves who spread out all over the world, wreaking havoc and stealing as much as they pleased. They were notorious for their crimes throughout the centuries and it was any law enforcement's _dream_ to be put a Cooper in the slammer. However, the Cooper line was never caught or found after their retirement, but there was always another Cooper ready to bring forth another generation of thieving and mischief. Jazlyn had heard countless stories about the Cooper family from several clients and the connections she'd created over the three since becoming a part of this life. She'd been interested in the tales—the marks on history they'd made despite being a bunch of criminals. Countless times she'd wondered what it'd be like to actually meet a Cooper, but never in her wildest dreams did she think she'd meet one like this.

Ears flattening along her head in growing irritation, Jazlyn eyed the surrounding area for her _fu tao_ swords and nearly groaned when she realized they were _right fucking behind him._ Why'd she leave them here like a damn idiot? God, she was gonna have to rethink her organization skills as well as her ability to _pack other weapons_. Oh, well. Claws it is then.

She lowered herself further in her crouch, shifting along the floor until her body was angled right behind him for a pounce. A snow leopard could lay still for hours if she needed to wait for the right time to take down her prey.

"There's a lot of equipment around here, Bentley. Someone's had to have stayed here if not recently then for a long time." The raccoon pointed the binoculars toward her work table that held her precious laptop (stolen, of course), a lock-picking kit, various blueprints of buildings and floor plans that held her notes of security rounds, and her _fu tao_ swords that she treasured. Also known as "tiger hook swords", the _fu tao_ sword is similar to the _jian_ in terms of the blade's length and sharp edge, but instead of ending in the typical tip like a normal sword, the _fu tao_ has a curved-pronged hook. The hilt guard of a _fu tao_ is shaped after the crescent moon with a sharp edge guard used for not only blocking but also slashing the attacker. White ribbons were attached to the end of the hilt and fluttered restlessly on the edge of the table as if sensing her anxiety.

Sly Cooper angled his head toward the lone floorboard that Jazlyn had repaired then camouflaged it to appear like the rest of the surrounding ground. Her shoulders tensed as his focus remained there for much longer than she'd like. "I think I may have found something here, guys. There might be something under there."

If he'd turned his head to look over his shoulder, he'd definitely see her glowing emerald eyes piercing him down. Daring him to even think about going near her loot and steal from _her._ Again, she had swallow a growl from bursting pass her lips as she shifted her position to accommodate his new location. He seemed to be listening to this Bentley or whoever else was on the strange communication device he was using before replying with a devilish grin, "Well, if it's just a stowaway for drugs then we can just take them off their hands and give a tip to the authorities. After all, we _are_ modern respectful citizens, aren't we?"

 _Drugs?! He thinks I'm hiding fucking drugs like some damn drug lord?_ That's it. Her claws dug painfully into her palms as they fisted and her teeth glinted menacingly in the darkness of the shadow she hid in. She was going to make him eat _fucking dirt._

Jazlyn would only have one shot at this, otherwise, she'd have to fight a more skilled fighter than her. If she missed, then she'd have to get to her _fu tao_ swords in some way so she could dodge Cooper's signature cane. It'd be a quick fight if he smacked her in the head or any other vital areas. She bit her lip in nervous anticipation before taking a silent breath in, her muscles relaxing at the same time, then quick as a snake striking, Jazlyn sprung forward.

She made no sound as she traveled weightless to the unaware raccoon who was telling his accomplices some stupid joke about being involved with gangs. At the last minute, Jazlyn decided to retract her claws a little so she wouldn't slice his shoulders to pieces and braced for impact. She slammed perfectly into his back, causing him to lose grip of his binoculars and cane as he yelped in surprise. Instinctively, the teenager locked her claws down on her prey's shoulders, forcing her entire body weight into pinning him to the floor with a rumbling growl.

Her snow-colored locks fell from their confines completely and framed her sharp features in a white curtain as she leaned down to whisper menacingly in the raccoon's ear, "Stop struggling and _listen_ , Cooper."

Despite her claws digging into his shoulders and her knee locking his spine into a position that could easily be broken if she put enough weight on it, the male raccoon fought against her hold. She'd learned martial arts and defensive maneuvers by watching videos online or tips from her ThiefNet associates, but he had more experience in fighting back than she did. Her blood boiled with an anger she hadn't felt since _that day_ and while she was frightened of herself, Jazlyn held firm and waited until he stopped moving around like a fish out of water.

She blew her bangs out of her eyes and pushed her knee further into his spine, making him stiffen and squirm uncomfortably. "I don't want to hurt you, but I will defend my home from intruders and other _thieves._ "

"So, you're the drug dealer? By the sound of your voice, you've definitely got other jobs as well, right?" He chuckled a little breathlessly and it took everything she had not to sink her claws further into his flesh. "Must not be paying as much if you're livin' in a dump like this."

"Why the _fuck_ do you keep assuming I'm a member of some gang? Don't have any gang tattoos or brands on my ass, Cooper." Any attempts to keep her voice even and not sounding like a near homicidal maniac failed instantly. Oh, well. Screw first impressions.

The male attempted to turn his head so he could look over his shoulder at her, but he only succeeded in tweaking his neck. Cooper winced, "Okay, if you're not a gangbanger, then what're you doing out here?"

She rolled her eyes heavenward and prayed for patience with this guy. "Look, I'll let you up so you can tell your buddies to chill the hell out—they're very loud right now—as long as you don't decide to attack me. Deal?"

"Doesn't look like I have much of a choice, huh, Spots?"

Jazlyn refused to reply as she released her hold on him and backed up until she was within easy reach of her _fu tao_ swords. Her eyes watched him warily pick himself off the dusty ground and take note of the deep gauges in his shoulders that were bleeding into his blue shirt. While she felt a little guilty about hurting him, she refused to show that it bothered her and watched as he slowly turned around to look at her.

Dark eyes a shade shy from chocolate brown met her bright emerald gaze with a spark of mischief and curiosity. Their eyes remained locked for a solid minute, his penetrating stare taking every part of her body in—from her old shoes to the muscular legs and arms to her long, bushy tail until finally they returned to her face. She took her time taking in his features—even under the dark mask, she could see the signature black mask-like fur over his eyes, and his cheeks were defined with his gray fur stretching outward. His cap was slightly eschewed, revealing a tuff of wild hair sticking up underneath, and his lips pulled into a smirk that reminded Jazlyn of the Cheshire Cat's sly grin when he was about to play another trick.

He whistled appreciatively with that same sly smirk on his face and she tried to keep her cheeks from burning off her fur. _How dare he—!_ "You're no member of a gang alright. Mind telling me the name of the woman who pinned me down?"

She swiveled her ears toward the frantic voices coming from his strange binoculars and raised a single brow at him. "Answer your buddies before they have a heart attack."

Cooper's grin merely widened as he turned to pick up both his cane and communicator, which he promptly placed on his face and directed it toward her. Jazlyn's tail swished behind her in agitation and she folded her arms as she rested all her weight on one leg. Not a good fighting stance if he decided to attack, but she'd take the risk for now.

"I'm okay, guys. Just got taken out by the house owner for a bit. She's got amean grip, Bentley." He kept his attention focused on her much to her annoyance and slight embarrassment—she didn't want anyone to know she was the up-and-coming thief in Paris, but even so, she didn't think the Cooper gang would turn her in. Hopefully. Cooper answered whatever Bentley asked with a wide smile, "No, she didn't hurt me too bad, but I wouldn't want to fight her if she can sneak around like a ninja."

With that comment, he paused and asked her, "You're not secretly a ninja, are you?"

Jazlyn sighed, "No. My kind are known for being the ghosts of a mountain because we're so quiet. We practically blend in with our surroundings."

She tilted her head, watching him more intently now as she realized her mild slip up and the fact that he'd gone completely silent. The snow leopardess shifted her weight to the other side, allowing her fingers to brush one of the ribbons to her _fu tao_ swords.

"Since you obviously know my name, Spots," her ears twitched at the nickname in annoyance, "Mind telling me yours now?"

"And if I don't want to tell you my name?" Jazlyn balanced out her weight between her legs and watched him carefully—one wrong move and she'd grab her swords before he could even raise his cane to swipe at her.

Cooper put the binoculars in a red pouch attached to his left leg and rested his cane on his shoulder. "Look, I'm not going to hurt you or anything, Spots. Just wanna know the woman who'd pinned me down like it was child's play."

She snorted, "Yeah, right. I'm sure you've already got someone lookin' up info on me based on my facial structure and spot patterns. So, what's the point?"

He took a step toward her, slow and cautious, like he was attempting to tame a wild animal. She nearly scoffed at the irony of it and glared in warning when he took another step. The raccoon was only three steps away from touching her, and Jazlyn tried to get her panicking mind under control, so she could _act rational_. At her hesitancy to take action against him, Cooper continued forward until he was within arm's reach. Her fingers twitched nervously at her side, the ribbon wrapping around her hand, but she didn't pull it towards her. Instead, Jazlyn allowed the ringtail to lean toward her with one of his hands already touching her upper arm.

 _Just what is he doing? No, wait, what the hell am_ _ **I**_ _doing?!_

Despite herself, she flinched away from his face and those smoldering eyes as he gazed into hers. She tried to hide her trembling and demanded her hand to fucking move away from his touch, but she remained ramrod straight. His breath fanned across her cheeks, making her breath hitch slightly at the mesmerizing scent, and there was that cursed smirk stretching across his muzzle.

"I want to hear _you_ say it—you're not some thug and I'd rather not invade your privacy like that on the first date."

The eighteen-year-old snow leopardess blinked at him wordlessly for a moment. He was just so close and in all her life, she'd never experienced this kind of attention from a male before. Not unless it was for some kind of heartless joke or a father figure leaning down to kiss her on the forehead and that had been a _long_ time ago. Why should she give this confident, arrogant ringtail her name? What makes him any different than the other thieves who she'd given aliases to for years? There was not an ounce of trust in her for Cooper and why should she? 'Not wanting to invade her privacy,' her ass! Coming into her headquarters and snooping around like he owned the damn place? Possibly planning how he could rob her blind while trying to figure out who was living here?

No, Sly Cooper didn't deserve her name. Finally broken from whatever spell he placed on her, Jazlyn said, "You're doing a fine job of that, Cooper." She shoved him away with her right paw while her fingers finally tugged on the ribbon attached to her _fu tao_ sword and brought the hilt to her awaiting palm. "Shall we review? You entered into _my_ home, snooped around like the little thief you are, and I saw the look in your eye when you saw what little I had. Not wanting to step over my personal boundaries?"

Cooper held his hands up as the tiger's crook was leveled at his throat and Jazlyn took a step forward as she brought the other half of her _fu tao_ pair together. Forced to stumble away if he didn't want the sharp metal of her blade near his jugular, the gray raccoon pulled his cane into a semi-defensive position as Jazlyn continued in a low growl, "Talk about an empty promise, Cooper. You don't deserve to learn my name through me—go ahead, have your tech guy or whoever you were talking to dig around for my info. For now, you can call me Ghost. Now," Fiery green eyes narrowed in warning, "get the hell out."

He appeared conflicted for a brief second, unsure of whether he should try to talk her down or not, but in the end, Cooper walked backwards until he was nearing the exit to her work station. Those dark eyes followed her every move as she watched him make his way toward the metaphorical door. She watched him pause at the edge of the shipping crates, and after a small battle with himself, Cooper reached into the pouch attached to his thigh and tossed something little and metallic at her. Instinctively, Jazlyn switched one _fu tao_ into her other paw to catch it and she blinked at the tiny earwig.

"In case you want to talk. Just put it in and press lightly on it—one of us will eventually answer." With that, the infamous Sly Cooper vanished around the corner of wooden crates and she listened until his footsteps didn't echo in the warehouse.

The air left her lungs in a long _whoosh_ as she finally relaxed now that the potential danger was gone. And Sly Cooper was indeed a dangerous mammal if he could put her in some kind of trance. She took a deep breath and glanced down at the earwig he'd given her to keep in contact and whoever was working with him. Why bother giving her something she'd probably never use anyway? Jazlyn scoffed, turning toward her worktable and placing both her weapons and the earwig on the beaten wooden surface. As if she'd ever want to talk to him again—not after the violation she had to bear.

"Maybe I should put more defenses around the warehouse?" She shook her head with a frown, "No, that'll be suspicious even to mammals who don't come down here that often anymore."

Sighing, Jazlyn took stock of her stolen merchandise before finishing her pre-checks for the artwork and other minor treasures to be sent off tomorrow night. The last thing she wanted to focus on was her brief encounter with Sly Cooper—she had her own job and thieving to do without focusing on him and his smug smirk.

She ran her fingers through her hair in a loud groan and banged her head on the table. Could she not go one fucking minute without that raccoon in her head? Maybe she should leave Paris while he was in town? The snow leopardess banged her head against the hard surface of her worktable again, rattling the contents, and cursed under her breath with a snarl.


	3. The Ghost of Paris

_Chapter Two_

 _The Ghost of Paris_

The early morning sun rose along the surface of the Seine River, the combined hues of pink and orange mixed along the dark waters as Paris began to awaken for the day. Jazlyn took a deep breath of the crisp air, her eyes closing as she enjoyed the clear weather skies and the gentle breeze flowing from the river to run its fingers through her freed silver locks. She stretched her arms out over her head lazily as her tail swished slowly behind her, completely at ease with the world and confident that no one would sneak up behind her.

In a tote bag held securely to her right shoulder, Jazlyn grinned as she turned to her left in a brisk jog. She had about an hour to reach the drop off point before it became too light out and Parisians left their homes for the day. Her steps were just as silent as the wind as she hopped up on a pipe, climbing quickly to reach the nearest rooftop of an apartment complex. Lungs expanding and contracting quickly from her harsh pace, Jazlyn couldn't help but giggle breathily as she flipped easily over a gap between buildings and continued to the next with practiced ease of any gymnastic athlete. Or would it be better to term herself as an amateur at parkour? At this point, she didn't know what to classify herself as except as a thief, who had built up a little rep to be called the Ghost by cops.

She didn't think she was worthy of Interpol's attention—not like Sly Cooper and his gang. A little ironic to be thinking of reaching Interpol's Most Wanted List one day, but the more infamous she became, the more money she could get from stealing valuable property.

Her tail acted as a rudder to steer her around a sharp corner and she leapt across another alley with glee before rolling gracefully on one shoulder to take most of the impact. Jazlyn jumped back up to her feet with another breathless grin before taking off again, her enthusiasm for meeting her smuggler at the crack of dawn was childish at best, but she couldn't help it. The last time she had a drop off like this, it'd been over a month ago and her smuggler was very picky about what he took out of France as a whole for mammals. Not that she blamed him. Smugglers and middlemen alike have a lot harder job than thieves or even civilians because once the package has been passed on to them, they're in charge of getting it to wherever it needs to go without detection. Jazlyn couldn't deal with that kind of pressure, but she sure did enjoy talking to her contact to the outside world whenever she could.

Jazlyn paused at the edge of a chimney, her feet poised gracefully on the lip of the opening, and her ears swiveled along her head. Her tail continued to dangle at her feet, not giving away her sudden trepidation of the sudden presence she sensed at her back. She breathed deeply, catching her breath and pretending to check the contents of her tote bag. Sharp, iridescent green eyes peered out the corner of her shoulder while she rummaged in the bag—searching through the morning shadows and the few nooks Jazlyn knew someone could hide in. There was a reason why her smuggler refused to take her packages every other week—not only was it more suspicious, but it was risky for the both of them. She could lead the cops to him or they would figure out where they crashed after the deed was done.

Heart beating wildly in her chest with anticipation, Jazlyn dropped her tote in a small alcove made of bricks that were built into the side of the chimney and turned on her heel with a low growl. She leapt from her perch, claws unsheathing as primal instinct took over, and landed on the roof behind hers. A few paces in front of her, she could hear soft footsteps running in the opposite direction of her tote bag and the snow leopardess chased after her stalker. Her long legs ate the distance up between them as she rushed after him—the familiar scent wafting into her nose and the blue hat on a gray ringtail's head came into view. With barely a sound, Jazlyn reached pouncing distance and shoved off the ground with ease, her paws landing on the raccoon's shoulders as she retracted her claws at the last minute.

Together, they slammed into the ground that left them both breathless, and Jazlyn barely had enough wit to pin his arms behind his back in a firm grip. She straddled his waist and if it weren't for the burning irritation raging in her gut then she would've blushed at the position.

She gasped out, "What the hell…are you doing?"

The bastard was _laughing_ and turned his head so he could look her dead in the eye. Mischief and mirth danced in those eyes and Jazlyn shook herself mentally—she couldn't fall into those deep eyes again. She had to remain strong.

Cooper smirked. "Following you."

"No," she rolled her eyes and added pressure on his pinned arms, making him wince a little. "I would've never guessed, Cooper. I mean, what the hell are you doing following me? Don't you have better things to do?"

There was murmuring in his left ear and Jazlyn could only assume it was one of his companions asking what was going on. She sighed, she was going to regret this later—she knew it—but in the end, the snow leopardess released her hold and rolled off him. Confusion lit up his face briefly before his signature smirk slid into place.

Jazlyn raised an eyebrow. "Look, I've got an errand to run and you clearly don't understand the fact that I don't want anything to do with you, so let me say this once: If you really want to talk to me without the attitude, then stop acting like a creep by following me."

"Drink coffee with me."

Green eyes widened at the blunt offer, but she couldn't come up with any kind of excuse other than just rejecting it altogether. She didn't want to get involved with Sly Cooper and his personal war with the Klaww Gang, but _God,_ she was too curious for her own good. Staying away and not thinking about the Cooper clan's sole survivor was beginning to look impossible if he was going to be following her around and probably researching her to no end. Jazlyn glanced heavenward, asking for patience for what she was about to do.

"There's really no escaping you, is there?" With a heavy sigh, Jazlyn met his intense gaze and answered, "Let me finish my errand and we can meet up for coffee in a couple of hours."

It was his turn to look surprised as he blinked, clearly taken aback by her quick agreement, and she couldn't help but giggle. Before the raccoon could formulate a reply, Jazlyn stood up and turned on her heel, doing her damn best to sashay her hips while her tail reached out to boldly glide across his cheek before lifting his chin up as she continued away. Even though she did the sexy display herself, Jazlyn's cheeks were flushed with a light rouge as she made a running start for the roof where she'd left her tote bag.

Just what was she getting herself into? And why did she willingly give in to his little demand anyway? She shook her head, there was something different about Sly Cooper that was for sure. Something she couldn't quite put her finger on just yet, but maybe if she got to know him some more then she could figure it out.

As she picked up her tote bag and continued down the path to meet with her friend, Jazlyn wondered why she suddenly decided to give up on avoiding the raccoon.

 **~o~**

The café Cooper chose was full of mammals on their way to work and while Jazlyn would've turned right around to walk out the door instead of facing a large crowd in an enclosed space, the raccoon easily navigated and avoided brushing against everyone. She eyed him with slight envy as her tail was pulled tightly against her body, and while she was very observant, Jazlyn barely caught the sneaky raccoon pickpocketing from the antelope in front of him. He was efficient and quick as he pulled out the cash before returning it to the antelope's back pocket. She wasn't sure taking someone's money like that when they were about to order something was a bright idea, but by his smile, Jazlyn knew he didn't really give a damn.

And, why should he? He _was_ a master thief after all.

After another fifteen minutes waiting in line, both raccoon and snow leopardess sat at a table situated in the far corner of the café. Perfect for two thieves to not only have a conversation but also make sure no one decided to either steal from them or take them out. Jazlyn had a few experiences where hitmen or even normal thugs who decided she was too nosy or that she was the strongest suspect for stealing whatever artifact they'd taken themselves. She eyed the nearest exits, taking stock of the mammals nearest to their table, and kept count of those who stayed and left. Maybe she was too paranoid, but in Jazlyn's opinion, being paranoid kept you alive.

"Relax," Cooper murmured, shoulders completely at ease as he leaned comfortably back in his chair and balanced it on two legs. "You're too uptight for a little chat and coffee."

She raised an eyebrow and sipped her jasmine tea. A little chat and coffee, huh? If he truly wanted to talk one-on-one, then he could have found her back at the warehouse rather than stalk her like some creeper. "After you tailing me on a job, I'm wondering if there're anyone else watching me from your gang. I'm sure they're listening in, right? Or maybe they're here? It's crowded and all I can hear are snippets of conversations from various mammals. Great opportunity to steal from me or kidnap me—or whatever it is you've got planned in that head of yours."

He chuckled and neither denied nor defended himself as he placed the chair on all four legs again. His dark gaze was piercing despite the mischievous grin peeking at the corners of his lips and—she didn't want to admit it but—his face revealed nothing to her no matter how hard she tried to find some kind of tell. There was also the fact she found him mildly handsome (like hell she was going to say he was a lot hotter than "mildly handsome") and kind of distracted her to the point that even staring at his chin wasn't even safe.

"You sure know how to compliment a guy, Ghost."

"I try." She leaned forward in her chair, ignoring her increasing heart rate and the slight blush building behind her cheeks. "I hope you'll do me a favor and be truthful with me 'cause I don't really take to liars."

Cooper shrugged nonchalantly, grin still in place, and placed one arm on the table to rest his weight on. She could smell the cologne he wore and the kind of shampoo he used this morning, and Jazlyn nearly pulled away from him if it wasn't for her own stubbornness. His smile widened at her reaction, though, he didn't comment on it as he said, "Alright, I'll be truthful with you. Within reason."

At her confused look, he added seriously, "I've got my own personal baggage plus I don't really know you all that well—all web searching aside."

She snorted at that but agreed nonetheless. "Then I'll do the same, if you don't mind?"

"Deal."

The crowd of the café was slowly dying down as they continued to stare at each other—neither one giving an inch to the other. Jazlyn nibbled at her bottom lip nervously as her ears swiveled along her head for the customers' locations, but she still had a difficult time concentrating. Just what the hell was wrong with her? She'd seen and interacted with plenty of hot guys before, yet this one male had thrown her through a fucking loop. Just what the hell is so different about him? In the end, he'd get his fun or whatever sick game he was playing with her then leave her to collect the pieces of her already broken soul. She bit her lip. No, she couldn't fall for Sly Cooper's charm or his flirty innuendos. Jazlyn had to stand tall and protect herself from the world—that's all she's ever had to do since she was a child.

She took a deep breath and gazed intently into his brown eyes. "You understand that I don't trust too easily, right?"

"Figured that out after the first tackle." His laughter was deep and velvety, which made her heart beat even faster. She swore up and down in her head as her cheeks began to heat again.

"Trust is earned, Sly Cooper." She'd learned that the hard way too many times—it's why she was practically a hermit in a large city. "I don't just let _anyone_ into my life and you shoved your way right into it without so much as a warning. Mind telling me what's the interest?"

Without so much as missing a beat, his eyes twinkled, and she noticed hints of gray in those dark depths. "You're truly a phantom."

Jazlyn blinked dumbly at him. _Wait, what? How does that—_

He continued, his smirk dissolved into a serious thin line and mini-canyons formed along his forehead. "No matter what database Bentley uses, there's nothing on you. All we were able to find was your profile on ThiefNet and police reports." The male raccoon took off his cap and scratched the messy tuff of hair between his ears, baffled. "I'm intrigued by it—I want to know what you had to give up in order to be so far off the grid that not even Bentley can find you."

"So, you're more curious about how I became a practical ghost than anything else?" The café began to quiet as the morning rush died down, and Jazlyn eyed the remaining customers before returning her attention to her companion.

"That's part of it, but not the sole reason."

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What else is there? It's definitely not my charm—unless you're into women always tackling you when you least expect it."

The solemn lines along his face disappeared as his lips upturned into a half-smile. "If I said yes, would that be a turn off?"

Despite herself, Jazlyn snorted. "I'd say you'd need help."

With that comment, she took another sip of her tea and took the time to peer out the corner of her eye. Her gaze met soft brown eyes set in a bright shade of pink from a tall, broad hippo who wore a blue shirt and a thick dark belt. Like most hippos, his face was round and chubby, his large teeth extended from his mouth, and he had big hands and feet. Jazlyn could make out the underlying muscle beneath the hereditary fat within his stomach and limbs. If it ever came down to a fight between them, the snow leopardess knew she wouldn't win at all and would most likely need a hospital visit afterwards. Yet, despite his towering stature and intimidating appearance, the pink hippo looked almost childish in his genuine, innocent expressions as he waved shyly at her.

Beside him and clearly aggrieved that his compadre gave them away sat a small green turtle with large square spectacles. He was wearing a button-up shirt and vest with a red bow-tie fastened neatly at his neck. She hid her grin behind the rim of her cup as she saw the grimace on the older and more mature turtle. His hand raised discretely to his ear and, although, she couldn't hear exactly what the turtle said, Jazlyn placed her cup on the table and smirked at the raccoon as he attempted (and failed) to restrain his own amusement.

"I see you've found my friends." He motioned toward the general direction of the hippo and turtle with his coffee mug.

 _Not gang members? Or companions? Allies?_ She tilted her head curiously at him. So, he doesn't see them as a simple means to an end? They had to have had a strong bond to remain this close to each other after a year or two. The fact that they came to back him up _in person_ spoke volumes, and Jazlyn glanced at the pair once more, sizing them up and wondering what made them join Sly Cooper in the first place.

"It's kinda hard to miss, but I have to give them an E for effort." She took one last sip of her tea—it was getting a little cold for her tastes—and stood from the table. Cooper looked up, eyes questioning and lips already forming a question, but Jazlyn interrupted with a smile. "Tell 'em I said hello, will ya, Cooper? You know where to find me if you wanna talk and I hadn't thrown away that earwig. Yet."

She grabbed her tea cup and headed for the counter to drop it off instead of forcing the staff to come get it. The female teenager remembered clearly what it was like to work at a barista place before she'd become a full-time thief.

Just as she set the cup down, Cooper called out, "Is that an open invitation?"

Jazlyn looked over her shoulder to see he had risen from his seat as well, one hand stretched toward her while the other rested at his side. His eyes were intense and she nearly lost herself again, but she stood tall, her tail swished teasingly behind her, and she met his gaze with a fire burning in the forest of her eyes. "Figure it out, ringtail."

And then, she disappeared out the door and into the late-morning traffic.

 **~o~**

Weeks passed before Sly Cooper returned to her doorstep in the warehouse.

Jazlyn was working on the next shipment to be smuggled out of the French borders as well as researching her next heist. She'd been so busy scoping, researching, smuggling her merchandise out, and keeping up with day-to-day life as a "normal" citizen that she'd forgotten her encounter with the Cooper gang. While she did hear about the infamous trio's whereabouts and successful heists on the news, the snow leopardess hadn't heard a wink from Cooper at all. The last news report about the Cooper gang was a robbery at an art museum where they stole a priceless painting that Le Petit, a famous crane who's created more works of art for millions of coins, and now Interpol was called in to track them down. She figured—in some way or another—it had something to do with his own heists as a thief not to mention his war with the Klaww Gang.

But, truly though, she felt mildly irritated with him and she didn't even understand why.

It wasn't like she told him to keep in contact—they weren't even friends, just odd acquaintances who just so happened to both be thieves. She didn't even know what to think of him after their conversation at the café. He was intrigued by her ability to disappear off the grid, and while she knew that hiding yourself like that should be virtually impossible, Jazlyn had somehow done it. Ms. Fowle had always protected her, but after Jazlyn had abandoned her life with the kind owl, she figured the woman wouldn't bother with her. Maybe she had something to do with Jazlyn's records disappearing? Could that even be possible to begin with? And how could Ms. Fowle do it in the first place?

She shook her head. It didn't matter. She truly became a ghost—just what she wanted, but yet not exactly what she'd envisioned after leaving. Unfortunately, that's how life worked, and Jazlyn knew better than to expect the path to achieve her dreams would go smoothly.

Sighing, Jazlyn finished carefully wrapping and packaging the fifty-thousand coins worth of a painting. There was a good reason why she normally listened to music whenever she was working late into the night, _again._

"Why so depressed, Angel?"

Jazlyn flinched, her eyes immediately finding Sly Cooper smirking in the dark shadows of her work space. One hand rested on the hilt of her _fu tao_ out of instinct, but once she recognized her visitor, the snow leopardess lifted her hand away and nodded at him.

Then she realized what he'd just called her and raised an eyebrow in bemusement. "Angel?"

He shrugged, coming closer to the light and leaning against the stack of crates—golden-tipped cane in hand as he crossed his arms. "I never learned your name."

"So, that's your excuse?" She rolled her eyes and began to pack up the rest of her tools. With the thieving raccoon here, she wasn't going to get anything else done tonight. "Brilliant."

"Oh, come on. You have to admit it's pretty clever." He moved away from the wall of crates separating the rest of the warehouse from her workspace and sat on a nearby stool. His eyes took in the table and the _fu tao_ swords that rested against its surface in mild curiosity.

Jazlyn raised an eyebrow, tail swishing at her feet as she continued to put stuff away. "Go ahead and touch it—I know you want to."

Cooper glanced at her, shock brightening his gaze briefly before they returned to the well-polished weapons. He leaned his cane against the table and reached out to carefully pick up the sword by the hilt. With his other hand, Cooper slid his thumb along the length of the curved blade, whistling as blood welted from the tip of his thumb. She shook her head but grinned nevertheless at his antics.

She lifted a box filled with the artwork she was taking to Laurent, her smuggler friend, tomorrow morning. Moving it into a special slot under the worktable, Jazlyn shoved the box into place before shutting and locking the special door. When she stood back up, Sly was testing the weight of the _fu tao_ in his hand, marveling at its adornments and shaking his hand when the sharp curve of the hilt guard sliced the tips of his fingers.

"Careful there, Cooper. Don't want to lose a finger now, do you?" Jazlyn smirked at him, eyes twinkling with silent laughter as he returned his attention to her.

"So, where'd you find these?" Indicating her _fu taos_ with his head as he set them back on the table.

She frowned. Cooper didn't realize how personal of a question he'd ask, and there was a large part of her that refused to talk about how she came into possession of her weapon of choice. Another part, however a small piece of her, wanted to answer. In a way, him trying to find out her name had become some sort of game between them. She didn't know how long it would last before she either slipped or she dropped enough hints for him to search the right places for her background. Whatever the case, Jazlyn wanted him to squirm and think.

"They were heirlooms as far as I know," Jazlyn finally replied.

"A family heirloom?" The raccoon grasped his cane in his hand tightly, as if someone might waltz right in to take it from his hand. She could understand his protectiveness over it—after all, it was more or less the last memory of a clan's legacy and Cooper was the only one who could carry on the moniker for his family.

She shrugged, her fingers caressing the steel with a thoughtful twinkle in her eye. Maybe the snow leopardess needed to work on her poker face, but she truly wasn't sure what the _fu tao_ swords meant to her family—if at all. Maybe Ms. Fowle transferred some of Dad's weapon collection or the old owl could have gotten them as a gift from someone. She didn't really know, but the night the teenager decided to leave, her eyes had caught the glistening metal and been riveted by them. Some urge had filled her then—a deep instinct demanded that she take them with her and Jazlyn hadn't hesitated to take them off the wall.

Cooper was watching her carefully, taking in the expression on her face and the way she stared at the swords. He didn't comment on her obvious attachment to them, instead he changed the subject. "How do you feel about working on a heist with me?"

Jazlyn stopped moving completely—her shoulders stiffened, and her mind came to a complete halt as the words hit home. He wanted her to do _what?_ She slowly turned her head to look at him, eyes wide and mouth agape as she gawked at him unabashedly. Where the hell did this come from? Why would he want her to accompany him on a heist when she knew damn well that he was perfectly fine on his own? Besides, he had a lot more experience in thieving while she was still learning and slowly making a name of herself—by herself. This had to be a joke, right?

"I just need you to tail someone for me." Cooper continued as if she hadn't just looked at him like he was some lunatic. "Bentley needs me on another job, but we can't miss this possible chance of getting information from Dimitri Lousteau."

Her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets at the mention of one of the Klaww Gang's members. She shook her head wildly and held up her hands. "Are you _insane_ , Cooper? The hell are you planning?" When the raccoon opened his mouth to explain, Jazlyn covered his mouth with her hand, brows furrowed. "No, no. Never mind, I don't want to know. I shouldn't get involved in this…this _war_ you're in with the Klaww Gang. No, I won't do it."

Cooper pulled her hand away from his mouth, his eyes gentle as he grasped her hand in his firmly. "I wouldn't risk your safety, Spots. If you're as good as you say you are, then he shouldn't even see your face at all. You'll have Bentley, Murray, and myself for backup if anything were to happen. I promise, you won't be in danger."

She snorted, snatching her hand away and ignoring her burning cheeks. "You can't guarantee that! Anything— _everything_ could go wrong. Why should I risk my neck for you? I don't know you well other than what's been spread about your family history," he winced as if she'd slapped him, "and I don't like being thrown in the midst of things without understanding what all is going on."

He sighed and motioned for her to sit down. "I'll give you a summary of why I need to do this—why it's important to me to go against the Klaww Gang."

"You understand that I can—and will—say no even after you explain, right?" Jazlyn leaned against the table, arms crossed, and glared into his face as he settled back on his stool.

Chuckling, the raccoon grinned and stared straight into her face. "I won't force you into anything you don't want to do, Spots."

"I'm glad you have _some_ sanity left."

"So, you do care about my wellbeing," Cooper smirked, one brow raised teasingly.

Jazlyn's cheeks flushed a dark rouge and she averted her gaze from his laughing eyes. "Shut up and explain or get out."

"Alright, alright," he said, holding his hands up in surrender. "I'll give you the details and then you can decide what to do."

 **~o~**

Jazlyn sighed as she stuffed her hands further into her pockets as the snow leopardess strolled along the sidewalks. Unconsciously, her body dodged and weaved around the crowd that was always present in the mid-afternoon while she mulled over what she'd just heard.

Sly Cooper's past with the Clockwerk parts was so full of strife, determination, and dangers that she wondered why she'd never heard about it until now. Could it be that Interpol or the Cooper gang had tried to keep it quiet considering how they basically killed a vengeful and seemingly immortal owl? Jazlyn didn't know anymore and couldn't really bring herself to care about the fact. What would've happened if Clockwerk was still around today? He'd probably still be after Cooper, but his wrath would eventually spread to the people around the entire world. She was glad that Cooper and his band of friends did what they did—even though it probably costed them a lot and there probably were several times when the raccoon or his friends nearly lost their lives. She didn't doubt it and she held a lot respect for the group now that she heard the full story.

Granted, she wasn't going to immediately help the Cooper gang in their scheme to steal the Clockwerk tail feathers from Dimitri Lousteau. She needed to weigh her options—what it meant if she took on this job and the consequences of it. The minute Jazlyn decided to help—she'd inevitably become a target for the Klaww Gang and she knew exactly how they'd deal with her, too. She wasn't at all unfamiliar with the territory of attempted assassinations or gangs wanting to tie up loose ends after a job was finished.

Her eyes narrowed as she ducked into an alleyway, her mind whirring so much that it was making her jittery. She didn't like to climb the roofs and dance around them in the middle of the day, but walking on the streets just wasn't cutting it. Jazlyn jumped to a fire escape ladder and began to climb up the side of the building—hands becoming grimy and the nice clothes she decided to wear today would probably need to go to the dry cleaners. Despite this, she didn't care—there would be more clothes she could wear and a shower that would be in high order by the time she got home. She just wanted to blow off some tension and _run_ —to feel the wind through her fur, the rush of jumping across buildings, and overwhelming sense of _freedom_ that coursed through her.

Jazlyn took a deep breath, tail swishing behind in anticipation, before rushing forward and leaping off the edge of the roof. She rolled expertly on her shoulder as she landed and jumped back to her feet without missing a beat. Her limbs were loose as her body unconsciously went through the motions and automatically flipped, rolled, and danced along the rooftops like they were her stage. The teenager grinned as she landed into a handstand from her jump, the impact not at all bothering her as she twirled around on one hand before pushing off to land back on her feet.

As she started back into a light jog, Jazlyn wondered what was the point of asking her in the first place? Yes, she was a thief (if not an amateur one) but she wasn't even a member of the Cooper gang. Sly himself was more than capable of sneaking around and avoiding detection; therefore, there shouldn't be a need for her to get involved unless he wanted to test her? The next leap was a little short as she stiffened at the last moment and she had to grab onto the edge of the roof to keep from falling off. Luckily, there wasn't anyone really around, otherwise, there'd be a lot of screaming from bystanders and the cops would get involved that's for sure.

The snow leopardess shook her head to clear it as she pulled herself up. Just what was she thinking anyway? A test? For what? To be a part of his gang, maybe? Jazlyn snorted, that's fucking ridiculous. Why the hell would they want to recruit her in the first place? She wasn't that important, and she didn't want to get involved with Cooper's private war.

 _And yet,_ she thought as she paused at the edge of an apartment complex, panting from exertion as she watched the sun begin to set. Unknowingly to the teenager, mid-afternoon had come and gone as the sun prepared to rest for the day. The once blue sky deepened to a purple that blended with pinks and golden orange that slowly faded away. As Jazlyn watched the sunset and various street lights flickering to life, she wondered what it would be like to actually run away from this city. To be free of her past and the memories of her parents before their deaths. Even if it meant joining a gang hellbent on taking down the Klaww Gang and being in constant danger.

Jazlyn blew away sweaty strands of hair out of her face. She sighed, stuffing her hands back into her pockets as she sat down and let her feet dangle off the side.

 _What to do? What to do?_ She thought with another deep sigh as she continued to gaze at the dying sun and the darkening sky—her favorite time of the day.

Whatever she was going to do, she hoped she didn't regret it later.

* * *

 **Thanks to everyone who followed and added this to their favorite lists! I'm glad y'all are liking the story so far, and just a little warning-things get a little heated next chapter.**

 **I'll see y'all in the next two weeks (hopefully, if college decides to be manageable for once). Happy weekend!**

 **~Delyth**


	4. No Regrets

**_Hey, y'all! I have a few quick announcements before the chapter starts! PLEASE READ!_**

 ** _First, I apologize for the late update. I'm still in college and we're heading toward the last few weeks of the semester, which is seriously kicking my ass right now. Fortunately, I have most of the chapters written in advanced; however, I prefer to read over them at least once before they're published._**

 ** _Second, I plan to start updating again after Finals are over with. This chapter will be the last update for awhile until May 4th! I will have Chapter 4 ready to go that afternoon!_**

 ** _Third, thanks to everyone who's favorited and followed this story! Also, I appreciate all the reviews I received from y'all. They mean a lot to me._**

 ** _Well, that's all I needed to say for this A/N! Please enjoy the chapter!_**

 ** _~Delyth_**

* * *

 _Chapter Three_

 _No Regrets_

Jazlyn entered the warehouse with a heavy heart and distracted mind as she fretted and walked around in endless circles in her head. She just couldn't decide what she really wanted to do anymore, and try as she might, it was starting to get hard to find more than one con of joining the Cooper gang. The teenager sighed for what felt like the umpteenth time and meandered further into her home. Maybe if she worked on the next set of shipments she could relax and mull over the idea some more.

Her tail swiveled behind her, agitated, as she allowed it to drag along the floor. She'd have to take a shower anyway, so there was no point in keeping it from dragging behind her like a wedding veil. She snorted at the thought—she'd be lucky if she got out of the slums and raised enough money to finally get out of this stupid city. It'd become too crowded all of sudden and she felt trapped and confined all over again. Jazlyn shook her head, she refused to think about that right now—she'll just work for a couple of hours and take a nice long shower to ease her tight muscles. Cooper, after all, said she had some time to think about it, but somehow, she didn't think she really had that much time to consider all of her options since it seemed he was on a rather tight schedule.

Whatever the case, she'll sleep on it tonight and figure out what to do tomorrow.

Nodding to herself, Jazlyn continued deeper into her inner sanctuary then paused, her ears rotating along her head. Her eyes narrowed as they carefully examined every inch of the darkness, and she took a long, deep breath—breathing in the scent of the surrounding area and categorizing it. Dust, rust, mildew from a previous rain shower, Cooper's scent from the other day, and…a growl threatened to rip its way from her throat as she found the unfamiliar smell. Someone had found her home—decided to _stroll_ through _her_ territory like it was their own—and was waiting in the shadows somewhere for her.

Jazlyn's chest vibrated with the beginnings of a low snarl and it took every ounce of willpower to keep it from bursting free. She didn't know where the intruder was or if they were still here (though she was pretty certain that he was because the scent was still fresh), and they probably were hiding, hunting, waiting for the right moment to strike her down. The predator instincts she normally reserved for survival roared to the surface as she slinked away from the moonlight slipping through a slit in the roof. Her white hair was going to make it difficult to completely hide herself with the shadows, but damn if she didn't know how to play her weaknesses in her favor. Her species weren't called the Ghost of the Mountains for nothing as she slinked through stacks of old crates.

She followed the scent of her intruder and with each passing second, she was beginning to believe that he or she was a panther of some kind—most likely a black panther if she were to hazard a guess. It would explain why she hadn't seen them yet and Jazlyn was growing more irritated with each passing second the panther remained in her territory. It was bad enough fucking _Cooper_ had snuck in and snooped around her place more than once. After this, she was definitely going to find some way to increase security.

A rustle of cloth. A quiet inhale.

Jazlyn stilled instantly, her ears rotating toward the mere whisper of movement. She didn't twitch, didn't so much as breathe as she listened for any other sign of life. She was suddenly very aware of the fact that she didn't have any kind of weapon on her at all, and if this turned into a nasty fight then she'd have to rely on her wit and survival instinct alone. Especially, if her potential opponent was much larger and stronger than she.

There was another shuffle of feet before strong, lean arms grabbed her by the shoulders. Instinctively, Jazlyn kicked back with her foot, aiming at his knee, while simultaneously lurching away from the unknown male's body. And it was _definitely_ a male panther that stood before her as she turned on her heel to regard her attacker. Amused violet eyes were set in a black as night background and they stared at her—languidly taking in her form from tail to feet to her face. She refused to flush at his attention and glared angrily at him as another growl rumbled low in her throat. He was taller than her and lean like most felines, but his long legs were thick with muscle. Jazlyn watched him carefully, noting how easily he followed her every move and the way his thin tail swished behind him in anticipation. Tuffs of ebony hair fell into his face as he smirked at her, revealing white fangs that flashed in the shadows.

A shudder ran down her spine as she saw the burning bloodlust in his eyes—eyes that were beginning to focus solely on her face with a burning intensity. She refused to look away, refused to let him scare her, and definitely refused to allow him to dominate her in her own territory. Her lips pulled back in a snarl, revealing her own sharp fangs, and she extended her claws in preparation of the inevitable fight. Amused more than intimidated by her hostile display, the male panther's smirk grew as his body stilled, the strong muscles coiling for the initial strike.

Jazlyn dodged out of the way, his own claws slicing a few strands of her hair, and she landed a kick to his side with a growl. He caught it with a grunt and held it there much to her dismay and annoyance. His head lifted, and another chill skittered along her spine as that smirk widened in manic glee. The snow leopardess backhanded him away with her tail and jumped to deliver another attempted kick to his face. He caught her foot but in doing so, he released her right leg and Jazlyn propelled herself away from him, putting distance between them so she could gather herself for the next round. He was definitely someone she didn't want to have to face by herself—his martial arts skills were well above hers and she knew he was just toying with her. The question was though, why even bother playing around with her if he had the strength to take her down?

She narrowed her gaze at him, watching the panther slowly stand to his full height, and braced herself for another lunge. He winked, making her blood boil in growing irritation, before he leapt once again at her, but this time his movement was so fast that she barely had time to block let alone dodge. He wasn't an amateur fighter and he moved like he fought on a regularly basis. Jazlyn grunted as a punch to her right shoulder sent her stumbling back. She barely saw the second punch and wheezed as it landed at her left side near her ribcage instead of her gut like he'd intended. This time, she had no choice but to backpedal as he continued to rush, to push her further into a corner. Green eyes flashed in rage as they met and held amused violet. She snarled in his face, batting away another right hook to her face and slashed his left cheek, knocking that stupid, fucking _smirk_ from his face.

Which was probably the _wrong_ thing to do as he lifted a paw to his cheek, surprise flickering across his eyes before unyielding fury replaced it as he stared at the red staining his fur. Jazlyn panted, searching for a possible escape route from the crazy and now homicidal male. She couldn't handle an opponent of this level without help or her _fu tao_ swords. Teeth gritted against the sharp stabbing in her side from his punch earlier, she shuffled one foot back and her heart stopped beating altogether as she realized that the male panther had cornered her in a section of metal siding and wooden crates. She grinded her teeth, frustrated, and nearly received a slash over her face—payback for ruining his own mug if she had to guess. Jazlyn leapt toward him in a roundhouse kick aimed at his vulnerable side, but he again caught her leg, yanking her foot painfully to the side and eliciting a shriek from her mouth.

That smile returned to his face as he pulled her closer to him, grabbing her throat and _squeezing_. Her claws raked down the sides of his arms and she used her other left leg to kick as hard as she could against his sides and legs. He held fast though, and her lungs cried out for air—begging for relief from the burning and her vision was slowly darkening around the edges. Jazlyn could feel her limbs begin to slacken despite how much she wanted to fight—she didn't want to die here let alone in a place where no one would ever know that she was there in the first place. She struggled weakly in his grasp, her mouth opening and closing like a goldfish desperately searching for oxygen. _I don't want to die—I don't want to die!_

Tears slipped past the corners of her eyes and she tried to dig her claws as hard as she could into his arms, but to no avail. Was she really going to die here? As her vision began to wane and her strength slowly disappeared, Jazlyn wondered who would eventually find her body? A runaway, perhaps. Or a homeless mammal. Maybe even Sly Cooper and his gang of friends.

Realization dawned like a slap in the face. _The communicator! But, where the hell is it? Did I take it with me or is it on my worktable?_

Why didn't she fucking carry that thing around! She was going to die because she was stubborn and refused to associate with crazy mammals intent on destroying the Klaww Gang. This is what she gets—the snow leopardess dies via strangulation by an unknown assassin. Her eyes closed as consciousness all but vanished and just as she was about to pass out—the claws around her throat disappeared.

She dropped in a heap on the ground, her right arm cracking against a few of the wooden crates, which made them dance dangerously from their position. Jazlyn sputtered and coughed and gagged and gulped down precious oxygen for what felt like hours before the hand grabbed a fistful of her hair and shoved her against the stack of crates. Sharp pain registered in her spine but she ignored it in favor of glaring weakly at her attacker. His violet eyes practically glowed in the dark they were so vibrant.

"What do…you…want?" She wheezed, her voice still recovering from having the life nearly choked out of her. Figured now was a good time as any to ask what the hell he wanted from her since she was probably going to die anyway. Unless—

Jazlyn clenched her teeth as a punch to her stomach sent her flying back—her body protesting as it fell against the crates with enough force to shatter them and send them tumbling down. Luckily, only one managed to graze her head while the rest crashed into her body. She felt something snap in her side and the tangy scent of blood filtered through the air as she groaned. Her eyes could barely make out the fuzzy details of her workroom and she could see the earwig Cooper had given her, laying on the floor from one of the crates knocking the table back several feet. She couldn't reach it without causing attention to herself and this male's focus was solely on her.

She coughed, trying to force more air through her lungs despite the heaviness of the crates and the pain in her ribcage. Blood dribbled down her left eye and she could feel more of the dark crimson sticking to her legs, sides, and arms from her movie-worthy crash.

The damned panther's foot slammed down on her head, making her rattled brain thrash around in her head. Blood spurted from her nose as she moaned again, eyes fluttering as she tried to remain conscious. His breath parted her silver hair, the locks slowly darkening from dust and blood, by her ear as he whispered, "I want information on someone you know."

Despite herself, Jazlyn choked out a laugh. "Who? I don't have…friends."

His claws dug into her scalp slightly as he jerked her head up with another fistful of her locks. She hated herself for the whimper that had escaped from her mouth, but he didn't pay much heed at the pathetic noises she made. He was more focused on whatever Jazlyn had to say—the bloodlust from his gaze having disappeared only to be replaced by a cold business-like demeanor.

He raised an eyebrow, his eyeteeth caressing her temple. "So sure, aren't we? What about the raccoon?"

Jazlyn stiffened underneath him, suddenly very aware of her current predicament and the fact that this guy probably worked for the Klaww Gang. She tried to keep herself from flinching away when he grabbed her chin in his other hand. He was going to force everything out of her—everything she possibly knew about Cooper and his plans here, and it was most definitely going to _suck._ She didn't even know much about that damn ringtail anyway! Why did she always get herself into these kinds of situations before she even _decides_ to act out what she was going to do? She hadn't even fully committed to taking Cooper up on the job, but she still gets dragged into his little war anyway! Because, _of course,_ she does. What's a little more drama in her life, right?

"Ah, so you do know him." His grip tightened on her scalp and she resisted the urge to yelp. She wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much pain she was in or how scared she was. Her green eyes darkened in hatred. He tsked her with a sardonic brow raised. "Now, now. The quicker you tell me what your relation to him is, the better off you'll be."

Jazlyn swallowed and tried to clear her throat. "Meaning?"

"Meaning, I may not kill you depending on your answer."

Her heart stuttered for the fifth time in the span of fifteen minutes at the admission. Jazlyn shifted her arm that was free from the debris before his arrival, and the earwig was within fingertip distance. She allowed her breath to hitch, but still said, "Doesn't matter really what I say. You'll kill me just for seeing your face."

"For such a smart, pretty female, it's such a shame…" He murmured, and she didn't need him to complete his sentence to know what he meant.

Her fingers slowly inched the earwig into her palm and pressed it until she was sure the transmission would go through. She wasn't even sure they'd be able to hear her conversation (or final words), but at least she'd have the reassurance that she wasn't totally alone with this assassin.

Again, the panther yanked her up by her hair until her back was screeching in protest along with her other wounds. His gaze hardened and he slashed the side of her cheek with a single talon, a hint of what was to come if she didn't answer soon. Jazlyn winced as blood bubbled to the surface, but she ignored the sting and reared her head back before slamming it into his. Her head pounded and pulsed after the initial hit, but totally worth it as she watched his head jerk back.

The second yanking of her hair had pulled her almost completely out of the shattered crates that covered her lower half, and Jazlyn took what little chance of getting some distance from the panther. Despite the stabbing pain in her side, she jerked her head away from his loosened grip and pulled herself up with determination alone. She stumbled backwards, still clutching the earwig in her hand and with a slight of hand, she placed it in her ear. The panther had staggered back into her worktable, spilling her tools and the valuables she'd stolen to the floor. Rage filtered through her numb, panicked blood as she let loose a growl—a challenge and a warning. It was more pitiful than anything else. After all, it was clear their strengths were on two different levels and she was hurt so he could easily take her down again with little trouble.

Her eyes landed on the _fu tao_ sword resting against a filing cabinet she'd commandeered from a store and the snow leopardess took a slight step toward it. She may not be able to wield them as efficiently as she normally did, but at least she wouldn't be completely defenseless.

Unfortunately, her time was up.

The panther roared angrily and stalked toward her so quickly that he almost blurred as he pounced. Snarling in reply, she clawed and kicked and snapped her fangs inches from his face. Instinct had taken over, injured and scared and _pissed_ , Jazlyn threw reason and her morals straight out the window. She'd be _dead_ if she didn't do something and the teenager refused to just give in—to anybody. His claws raked across her face, from left temple all the way to the edge of her right jawline. Screeching, Jazlyn returned the favor as she dug her own talons straight into his cheek and kicked out with her legs, shoving him off her and across the room.

Pain seared every part of her body—her face where he'd cut her was burning, her ribs felt like they were stabbing into her lungs, and her head pounded from her rattled brain. She swayed a little as she stood again, but she ignored the agony in her, the blurring of her vision, and the voices crackling in the earwig as she ran toward her _fu tao_ swords. Again, the panther blocked her path by slamming her into another wall of crates and they went tumbling, head over heels and limbs tangling together. Jazlyn landed first, her skull cracked against the concrete and all the weight of both the crates as well as the panther's body weight landed on her. What little air was in her lungs rushed out in a choking wheeze, and her opponent shoved his body against the boxes that had encased them in, digging his arms and knees into her abused form. She didn't have the air to scream in agony nor the strength to even stand anymore.

Green eyes were glazing as her thick lashes fluttered against the fatigue. Jazlyn couldn't lose consciousness here—he'd definitely kill her (especially after she headbutted him and cut up his face) or take her away to his hideout so he can question and torture her there.

"Stupid _bitch_." She didn't fight the grin from reaching her face as the panther spat at her. He kicked the sprawling wooden boxes and sent them tumbling over her again.

Jazlyn didn't cry out, instead she focused on breathing through the stabbing pain in her lungs. She definitely broke a couple of ribs and the shards were probably cutting her lungs; she'd die of internal bleeding or asphyxiation if she didn't go to a hospital. Even under the cover of the boxes, Jazlyn wheezed through clenched teeth, "I ain't…got much to tell you…but I'm not…gonna die."

She couldn't see his face, but based on his voice, there was enough fury there that she knew he'd torture her some more before letting her die. "Oh, I'm not going to kill you, hellcat. At least not without squeezing every ounce of information I want to know from you first. _Then_ , I'll fucking rip your body to shreds."

"How…original." Jazlyn coughed, and blood dribbled from her lips as the boxes were shoved none too gently off her. She closed her eyes, forcing air through her lungs no matter how much it hurt or how hard it was.

Then, she heard it. The slight, near silent footfalls belonging to the only mammal the snow leopardess knew. Relief flooded through her, but she remained absolutely still, listening and waiting. More footsteps sounded, one set was heavier and made some noise while the other were small, hesitant steps. Cooper brought his buddies to help. And, boy, would they need help to beat this guy up.

Her body jerked as the panther yanked her by the arm, nearly pulling it out of socket, and continued to pull her out of the fallen boxes. She yelped as he dropped her on solid concrete once her body was out and kicked her as hard as he could across the room. Jazlyn opened her mouth to shriek as she almost soared through the air and into a supporting metal pillar, but no sound came out other than a guttural wheeze. She could hardly see anymore her vision was so blurred.

Her ears swiveled along her head, picking up the panther's boots as he stalked toward her with a growing growl. Cooper's feet stilled and she could almost hear the slight whistling of his breath. The hippo and turtle were coming to their positions as well, it seemed. Something creaked from the turtle's direction that Jazlyn couldn't figure out what it was, and the hippo's breathing was a little labored or…was it anticipation? She couldn't tell, but the moment Cooper's controlled breathing ceased, Jazlyn braced herself for another possible blow.

She tried to focus her gaze so she could at least _see_ what was about to happen—especially, if the panther was going to continue his little kick-the-spotted-soccer-ball around. More blood flooded her mouth and she was having more trouble keeping her breathing even. Fear was twinging in her heart and panic was setting in more than the anger that had fueled her final stand.

She shouldn't have worried in hindsight because just before the panther could reach her, Cooper jumped from his hiding spot and slashed his cane down on the assassin's head. Unfortunately, he dodged at the last second and jumped back—straight into the pink hippo's left hook. Hippos were known for their profound strength and Cooper's comrade had just shown why not many mammals mess with them. The panther flew across the room and crashed into a pile of heavy crates, old metal beams, and other debris. Despite being punched in the side and probably having broken ribs, he began to pull himself free. That same strained sound—as if someone was tightening a steel cable—reached her ears again and just as she was beginning to wonder if she was imagining it, there was a soft whistling in the air. The next thing she blurrily saw was the male panther falling back into the pile of debris with a soft snore.

Jazlyn remained frozen in place, unsure if it was truly over, and Cooper stood hovering in front of her, muscles so tight that they could break through his skin. Since first entering the warehouse, he spoke, "Bentley, put a few more darts in that bastard. I don't want to risk it."

Her earwig crackled weakly in her ear, but she still heard the turtle nasally reply, _"Roger."_

Finally, the raccoon's body relaxed and he turned to her, his eyes sliding over her damaged form with growing anger. He knelt at her side and placed his cane beside him. His gaze softened when he met her unfocused eyes, but Cooper still asked, "Can you still hear me, Spots?"

She coughed but still smiled weakly. "Loud and clear."

Her body was so tired and everything _hurt_ —even _blinking_ fucking hurt. Jazlyn wanted to sleep so bad but the minute her eyes tried to close, the raccoon nudged her gently with his hand. At her weak glare, he said, "You need to stay awake until we can get you to a hospital."

Before she could retort, though she really didn't have a comeback, the hippo walked up with a worried frown and genuine concern in his dark eyes. For someone who fights and seems to enjoy the adrenaline rush, he was such a sweetheart. "Sly, is she going to be okay?"

"I don't know, big guy, but we'll get her some help." Cooper reached up to pat his friend's arm. He glanced back to see the turtle finally emerge from the shadows and grinned. "Nice shooting, Tex."

The smaller member of the group simply adjusted his glasses as he waddled closer, and the small crossbow in his arms was still loaded with, what looked like, darts. "We need to clear her airways so she can breathe easier."

"Aren't we supposed to sustain from moving her?" Cooper asked, glancing back to make sure Jazlyn was still awake.

She stuck her tongue out him but only succeeded in coughing more blood and wheezing. Her body seized as agony washed through her system all over again. Jazlyn's initial reaction was to curl into herself, but her limbs wouldn't move and panic began to set in once more. Did a piece of her spine snap or (and she prayed it was only this) was her brain shutting down muscle activity in her limbs to keep from further injury? Could the brain even do that in the first place? Either way, she decided that not moving or _talking_ sounded like a very good idea.

Once her coughing fit had finally ceased, Cooper decided that arguing with his friend wasn't important and shifted her while the turtle kept her head still. Her body shuddered at the agony of her wounds and she clenched her teeth, hissing. The new position was better than her previous one, but she still had trouble breathing and Jazlyn began to worry that she might go into shock soon if she didn't get medical help.

"Bentley, what're we gonna do?" The hippo was practically sweating as he shifted from foot to foot, clearly wanting to help but not sure what he could do.

The turtle placed her head on the ground as gently as he could before turning to his friends. "We need to get her out of here and somewhere far away where they won't associate her with this place. Murray, see if you can't find some kind of board that's wide enough to carry her. Sly, go ahead and change into the street clothes I made you bring with us. As soon as you're done, head toward a more brightly lit place that's not on the outskirts of the slums. We need to act fast, otherwise, she won't make it."

Murray left without another word, appearing thankful that he had something to occupy his mind with. Cooper smiled reassuringly at her before hopping to his feet and disappearing into the darkness while the turtle remained at her side, checking her pulse and making sure she stayed awake. A brief silence blanketed the turtle and snow leopardess before he began to blot the blood that dripped in streams along her face. She didn't know where the sudden handkerchief came from, but she didn't have the strength or interest to question it.

"You're very lucky that we were getting ready to start a job, miss." His voice had gone soft, but there was a stern, no-nonsense undertone. When she tried to speak, he shook his head and held up his other hand. "No, don't try to say anything. You'll only weaken yourself further. Just listen."

When she simply stared at him in reply, the turtle coughed to hide his sudden awkwardness. "We heard everything that transpired once you activated the communicator. We know that ruffian had continued to ask how you knew Sly. I began to wonder why you refused to spill the beans, so to speak, about us. After all, any _logical_ mammal would have." As he took another deep breath, Jazlyn tried not to feel insulted by the obvious conclusion the turtle made about her reasoning skills. "You hardly know us and we don't even know much about you despite all my digging and hacking. I told Sly to give up on recruiting you for the job because it was undoubtedly clear that you didn't trust us."

He paused and the hand trying to clean her cheek stilled. "Then you contacted us—most likely out of a need to avoid death and call for help. Or, a way to draw us in so we could take the fall for you so you could escape." Jazlyn's bruised vocal chords vibrated in a weak growl that nearly sent her in another coughing fit, but her response was clear to him as he lifted a thick eyebrow in reply. "What did you expect? We don't hear from you, you're practically off the grid, and you don't trust us at all. If I had been you, I would have taken the chance to escape if others arrived on the scene. I won't let anyone endanger my friends, so I have to think of these scenarios and you should be glad I did.

"The minute your voice registered and we knew there was something wrong, I already started planning. Sly would help you even if it meant walking straight into a trap, but he'd blame himself for getting you involve and that guilt would weigh him down." Jazlyn's mind came to a halt as her heart fluttered against her own will. Even as Bentley continued, she couldn't help but focus on that tiny detail. "I had schematics of the warehouse after your first encounter with Sly where we planned our attack. Knowing you'd probably be hurt and none of us have that much medical training, I forced Sly to pack some normal clothes for us."

She gave him a questioning look and he answered with another sardonic brow raise. "We need to blend in and not draw too much attention to ourselves. We _are_ wanted by Interpol, remember?"

Jazlyn decided that this know-it-all turtle had a knack for making her feel stupid, but she let the irritation roll off her shoulders. She wouldn't let him have the satisfaction, though, the teenager honestly didn't think he'd care whether or not she showed her annoyance.

Murray yelled in victory in the distance, making both the turtle and snow leopardess jump in mild surprise. The hippo returned, grinning widely, with an old piece of drywall that was just long and wide enough for her. Although, she noted wryly, her tail would have to drag along the ground and she could only hope they didn't step on it. It was also molded from the damp warehouse from brief rain showers and she scrunched her nose at the smell, but she couldn't really complain because it meant less pain for her when they finally moved.

The turtle shook his head at the giant kid that was Murray in fond exasperation. Jazlyn wondered how long the Cooper gang knew each before becoming thieves, but decided it didn't really matter so much right then. She could ask later when she wasn't almost choking on her blood or felt like someone had run over her— _twice_.

Bentley instructed Murray on how they would move her to the dry wall and after a few minutes, they finally lifted her slightly off the ground to lie on the makeshift stretcher. Murray did most of the work, nearly picking up all of her body weight with ease, while Bentley ensured that her head wasn't jostled too much. They were very careful and moved slowly, asking how she was and if she felt any sudden pain in her lungs or sides. There _was_ a lot of discomfort, but it was manageable and she refused to be a little kitten and cry about it. She was determined—she wasn't going to let everything she strived for go to waste. She wasn't going to let herself die. She was a survivor, damn it.

Even so, the fatigue in her body was still adamant about bringing her under and though she tried so hard to keep from losing consciousness, there were time gaps in her memories. One moment they were in the warehouse and the next, they were walking through the streets with the friendly hippo dragging the stretcher while Bentley made sure she didn't slide off. They were both in regular clothes, the impressive crossbow the turtle wielded with incredible accuracy was nowhere to be seen, and for the first time since she met them in that café, they actually looked like good Samaritans helping a stranger.

However, she was curious as to how they'd explain this to not only the 112 operator, but also the police and EMTs. Her thoughts swirled lazily, as if they were in a stream just letting the current pull them along. Jazlyn couldn't even find it in her to really freak out over the fact that she was freezing—some of her limbs felt like ice had replaced them. Maybe it had something to do with the blood loss? She wasn't sure anymore and found it hard to bring herself to care. Everything around her was muddled, both the turtle and hippo's voices were muffled, and she couldn't really make out Bentley's features anymore. Her vision was darkening around the edges and Jazlyn had to force herself to breathe—to keep herself from giving into that painless, sweet darkness that continued to caress her. Tempting her with honeyed words and sweet promises that everything would be alright if she just gave in, that she embrace the darkness that readily offered peace.

God, she just wanted to sleep _._ She blinked blearily, trying to get her eyes to focus for just a second but couldn't. Muffled conversations filtered in, but she couldn't understand everything that was being said—it felt like they were speaking a different language.

"Hey, you need to… Don't go to sleep, miss!" Bentley leaning over her. Were they not moving anymore?

"She looks bad, pal. Where are…Sly?" Murray biting his knuckles anxiously as he towered over them.

A paw, caressing her cheek, soothing away the burn for a second before it came roaring back. Without her volition, her head turned slightly, pushing her cut cheek further into the palm of that gentle paw. Her breath wheezed from her lips, her heart thumped wildly and painfully in her chest, but that palm against her cheek grounded her to reality. Gave her a little strength to stay in her body, as weak and frail as it was, and away from the darkness that called out to her.

Then, a calm and sober voice, one that should be filled with teasing and sarcasm, spoke over her. "On their way…Should be here…Wait! I hear…!"

And there was something—something that sliced through her muffled ears and rang in her head like hundreds of cow bells. Jazlyn wanted to tell it to shut up, she was trying to sleep, and the noise ( _Sirens_ , her subconscious supplied) were hurting her ears.

There was more talking, hasty and urgent, as the paw that held her cheek moved away and two pairs of hands replaced it. Her entire body shuddered and jerked at their touch, piercing and burning and stabbing agony erupted again. She didn't want this—she didn't want any more pain—she wanted peace and she wanted them _to stop_. As weak and pathetic as she was, her arms tried to fend them off and her claws were extended, ready to cut anyone who so much as tried to harm her again. A surprised yelp filtered through the night air as the two pairs of arms tried to gain control over her without getting any slashes across their faces.

Her lungs cried out, wanting her to _stop moving_ , but she ignored it—survival had kicked in again and she couldn't see well enough to know that the ones touching her were trying to help. Jazlyn wheezed and coughed, her body failing her despite what she wanted, and the only reason she stopped was because of _him._ The damn raccoon who had gotten her in all this mess in the first place, had come to her rescue, and was getting her help.

"It's okay, Spots. You're going to be alright." His fingers wrapped around her wrists firmly but not exerting any more strength than was necessary to restrain her. She couldn't see, her eyes were closing against her will, and her limbs went slack.

The fighting she'd done had only made her worse as her breathing gasped from parting lips—desperately trying to bring oxygen into her lungs, but it wasn't working. Her heart felt like it was going to burst along with her lungs and the numbing cold in her body was growing stronger. She felt so cold, but the darkness was still there. And it wasn't taking no for an answer this time.

As the void latched onto her, dragging her into its depths, Jazlyn's breathing halted altogether.


	5. Decision

**Well, long time no see! I'm officially done with school for the summer so I should be able to update more easily now! I am going back to updating every other Friday. Also, sorry if there might be any grammar or spelling errors/typos, I wanted to get this chapter out since I left y'all on a cliffhanger.**

 **Anyway! On with the story! Hope y'all enjoy :)**

 **~Delyth**

* * *

 _Chapter Four_

 _Decision_

The doctors had to resuscitate her three different times during surgery. One said that it was a marvel she'd survived the trauma let alone three revivals in nearly two hours. None of them were even sure she'd make it off the table—they called it a miracle, but Sly knew that it was much more than that. This girl was more than meets the eye and maybe that's what drew him to her, but Spots had suffered the consequences of his curiosity.

Three cracked ribs, one broken rib that had punctured her left lung, several of her vertebrae were badly bruised, her left ankle was fractured, and the internal bleeding had nearly killed her. The extent of her injuries would keep her bedridden for a couple weeks, and even then, she'd have to be careful of her stitches and possible infection. And it was all because of him that she was in this hospital bed, wrapped in enough gauze to be a mummy and stitches covering her face from the deep claw marks that marred her left temple all the way to her right jawline.

Sly sighed, staring at this intriguing snow leopardess and wanting, desperately, to know who she really was. The female who'd protected him and his friends from an unknown assailant even though she owed them nothing. In fact, all she wanted was to get as far away from them and their "war" with the Klaww Gang. Maybe he shouldn't have tried to convince her to join them on a one-time job—her attacker could have seen their interaction and assumed that she was a freelancer or a new member of his gang. But, a small piece of him believed that her assailant had been watching her for much longer than that considering he knew where her hideout was and when she'd be there to work.

He shook his head, crossing his legs as he glanced to the side and met Bentley's gaze. The turtle was working through facial recognition software and hacking the Interpol database on any information about the black panther who had attacked Spots. They'd all been up since three in the morning after receiving Spots' initial signal for help and now it was—he peered blearily at the bedside clock—7 a.m. Sly rubbed his face, tired and weary, but refusing to leave until Spots opened her eyes. He owed it to her to be there.

In the corner, asleep, was Murray. The big guy had fretted for hours during Spots' surgery and it wasn't until she was placed in a room and they were allowed in that he finally relaxed. Bentley had convinced him about an hour ago to try to sleep—Sly and the genius would keep an eye on her.

"It's not your fault, you know?" Bentley returned to typing away on his laptop, his fingers flying across the keys. There was a slight glare from the overhead lights that bounced off his glasses, so the raccoon couldn't exactly see his friend's expression. However, after spending so much time with the green turtle, Sly had come to recognize vocal cues to determine his friend's mood.

Sly removed his father's cap, ruffling the tuff of hair underneath as he fought back a yawn. "I know, but she shouldn't have been hurt."

"Wondering about the what-ifs isn't going to make her any better or help find her attacker." Bentley paused to stretch his arms over his head before returning to his relentless tapping on the keyboard. It was soothing—to hear his friend working in the background where Spots's constant heart rate was monitored by the machines. It unnerved him hearing the rhythmic beep of her heart as it reminded him how she had stopped breathing right in the middle of the street, paramedics hovering nearby to take over once she'd calm down. "She knew what she was possibly getting into the moment she met you, Sly. That girl is a lot smarter than she looks—she knows when she's out of her league and called for help even though there was a slim chance that we'd even be listening."

"Even so, Bentley, we should've been more careful." The raccoon glanced away from his friend and watched the snow leopardess breathe. Her heart rate was normal, but her breathing had a slight hitch as the mask covering her snout fogged with her breath. The doctors said her punctured lung would take at least six to eight weeks to heal completely and she'd have to be careful until then. Her hand, small and frail-looking, rested on top of the covers hiding the world from her bandaged lower half. Sly reached out, patting her hand hesitantly and, suddenly, feeling very shy as he squeezed her fingers. "I'm really sorry, Spots."

The turtle closed his laptop with a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose as he set his prized possession to the side. He hopped down from his chair that was at the foot of the bed and walked to his friend. Sly felt his hand rest against his upper arm, the closest he could reach, and squeezed. Bentley adjusted his glasses with his other hand, and said, "She'll be alright, Sly."

Sly gave a dry chuckle, his tawny eyes intent on her face as she slept. "She's lucky to be alive, Bentley. I don't know about you, but I'm sure she's going to kick us out the minute she wakes up like the hellcat she is."

Bentley cracked a half-smile in response to his friend's attempt to joke. "C'mon, we should get a little asleep before the doctor comes back for his rounds."

The guilt was nibbling at his feet as he pulled his hand away from hers and sat back in his chair, adjusting his hat to cover his face. Bentley returned to his chair and settled into the cushions with an audible sigh as his soft snores began to start. The master thief smiled to himself. Out of his peripheral, he watched Spots wheeze for breath, her face scrunched in what looked like pain, but even though he wanted to help, to ease the guilt in his heart, he knew there wasn't anything he could do.

Just as he was closing his eyes, her hand twitched.

 **~o~**

 _Fire. Crashing thunder in the distance. Screaming echoing in the night. Running—gasping. Searing pain on her bare feet as someone dragged her through what had to be the fiery pits of Hell. She cried out, a desperate plea for her parents but there was only the continuing metal screeching of feathers and roaring inferno that engulfed her home. She couldn't see—she could hardly breathe._

" _Keep running, Jaz. Don't stop, you hear me?" Her eyes were teary and her vision was too blurry to make out the mammal who had led her outside. He'd grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her in close—wheezing against her fur but his breathing was still a lot steadier than hers. Jazlyn only remembered the startling green eyes—so much like her own but neon in hue and piercing. "_ _ **He**_ _can't find you. Stay hidden until I come back."_

 _She curled further into herself, hiding behind the small shrubbery that was the only part of their estate that remained untouched. A small whimper escaped her muzzle and she latched onto his singed sleeve. "Kae, please don't go."_

 _He paused, his face turning to hers with a sad smile. His near silver fur was darkened by soot and burns, but it still reflected in the dim moonlight and the fire. Kaeghan leaned down and kissed the top of her forehead before moving away. "I have to, Jaz. I love you very much."_

 _Despite her screaming his name, he ran back into the inferno that had become their home and never came back out._

 **~o~**

Jazlyn lurched forward, her body screaming in complaint from the injuries she'd sustained, but she couldn't breathe, couldn't hear, couldn't _move_ , and she felt trapped. Her breathless shriek was stuck in her throat as she tried to yank free from whatever was holding her down—needles, an IV, a heart monitor attached to her finger and pads attached to her chest, and a pair of familiar hands pushing her down onto the bed. Or…trying to anyway.

"Spots! _Spots!_ " His nickname for her sounded muffled in her ears, but her eyes finally opened to meet his. Panting, shaking, she stopped fighting his hold and slumped forward. Wherever she was, it was _far_ away from the assassin who'd attacked her or the fiery inferno that had destroyed so much.

She buried her nose in his neck, ignoring how weak she was acting or the fact that he stiffened a little, and breathed deeply. Jazlyn just needed an anchor—someone to keep her mind here instead of the terrifying nightmare—while she breathed her way through the panic attack. The minute her heart stopped trying to beat its way out of her chest and she didn't feel like she was dying, Jazlyn pulled away and slowly lowered herself back down onto the bed with Sly's help. He didn't comment on her momentary weakness, but there was concern in his eyes as he took in her form—checking to make sure she didn't reopen any of her wounds.

"I'm okay…I'm okay," Jazlyn said, more so to herself than him and as far as she could tell, it was only him in the room. Her hospital room was small with a single window looking out the Parisian view with the Eiffel Tower in the distance. There was a small table to her right that had a remote for the TV hanging on the wall in front of her bed, a lamp that was currently off, and what looked like several pieces of paper splattered with color but she couldn't make out what was on them. To her left were the machines she was hooked up to as well as a small sink, cabinet, and closet combo. Sly had pulled up one of the room's chairs and was sitting in it, watching her closely as if she'd freak out again.

Before she could assure him again that she wasn't going to have another panic attack, the doctor came in with a winded Bentley and a gasping Murray. Shorter than the pink hippo but an inch taller than Bentley, the otter entered the room with his stethoscope already in hand and worry darkening his brown eyes. Without a care for the raccoon sitting beside her, the otter practically scuttled over him in his white lab coat and fine suit without a care in the world. She eyed him wearily but didn't object as he placed the stethoscope to her chest and listened.

No one moved and both the turtle and hippo remained standing in the doorway, unsure if it was okay for them to come in now that she was awake. They were probably scared that she'd have another freak out and she wanted to apologize for them having to see that, but it couldn't be helped no matter how embarrassed she was.

"Miss Clarise, I am going to have to check your stitches," her doctor said while hitting the nurse call button. He smiled apologetically, "I'm going to have to remove your gown so we can get to the bandages."

Jazlyn nodded in understanding (she nearly gagged at the alias the Cooper gang gave her) and stared pointedly at Sly then his two friends still standing at the doorway. Surprisingly, the master thief merely nodded instead of giving some teasing, flirtatious remark and ushered his gang outside the room so the nurses could come in.

"My name is Dr. Lutrin, Miss Clarise," He introduced himself quickly as motioned for his two assistants to move to either side of the bed. One nurse was a young mare with pale fur and a thick brown mane tied into a braid; the other was a hybrid of a tiger and a lion it appeared with golden fur that had black stripes fading around her face, arms, and legs. "We need to make sure you didn't rupture any of your stitches and change your bandages. I apologize for any discomfort we are about to cause in advance."

"It's okay, thank you for treating me." Jazlyn leaned up with both Dr. Lutrin and the mare's help who started to untie the strings to her gown. She clenched her teeth and hissed when they pulled the gown down her arms and away from her chest. The snow leopardess gripped the bedsheets with her claws and didn't care that she was ripping them. She didn't give a damn of what they were doing, but she could feel their paws on her, checking and touching and rebandaging.

"We're almost done, honey." The hybrid rubbed her back gently, very aware of the severe bruising she'd sustained.

Jazlyn stilled, she didn't even realize the extent of her wounds. "How bad off am I?"

"We had to restart your heart almost four times during surgery," Dr. Lutrin responded with little prelude. "Four ribs were cracked and one rib had broken off and lodged its way into your left lung. You sustained several cuts that barely missed a major artery by inches, several discs in your lower lumbar were bruised, a fractured ankle, and you had severe internal bleeding. We had to induce you into a medical coma since the trauma was so severe." He shook his head as the two nurses began to pull the gown back on to cover her. "You are lucky to be alive, Miss Clarise. If your boyfriend and friends hadn't been so close, then you wouldn't have made it."

The teenager barely controlled her face from contorting into surprise at the fact Sly would think up this idea of them being a couple. She wanted to slug him across the face but decided to push down the anger and indignation since he did save her life. She could yell at him later when it didn't hurt to move or breathe or blink.

The hybrid helped her lay back down and fluffed her pillows while the mare pulled the blankets up to cover her once more. Jazlyn took as deep of breath as she was able to and asked, "How long will I be staying here?"

"You have been here for almost a week already, but we will need to continue to monitor you for the next four days for any infection or problems with the developing scar tissue. You'll have to remain bedridden for the rest of the week, and we can slowly work your way up to going to the bathroom by yourself without help," Dr. Lutrin joked halfheartedly, but even though it was a lame joke, Jazlyn appreciated the sentiment.

"Thank you." She reached out to pat his arm and smiled.

He returned her grin with a small one of his own and glanced back to see the trio watching outside with curious and mildly concerned eyes. "Would you like me to send them back in?"

Jazlyn sighed, tired but glad she was alive to still feel exasperated toward Sly Cooper and his two friends. "Yes, please."

"I'll have Nurse Lyra give you some painkillers in a few minutes. You'll need your rest, so try not to strain yourself too much, alright?" Before she could reply, he was already walking out the door to inform the Cooper gang that they could come back in as long as they don't cause her any stress.

Jazlyn shook her head in amusement, the otter was kind if not scattered brain.

As the unlikely trio shuffled back into the room, she decided that she'd be grateful that they bothered to come help her at all instead of being mad about Sly's coverup. She shifted a little under the covers, suddenly nervous to be alone with the Cooper gang as they settled into their previous sitting arrangements, it seemed. Sly returned to his chair at her side that wasn't otherwise occupied by machinery while Bentley sat at the foot of her bed in a smaller chair, laptop resting comfortably in his lap. Murray eased his way into the chairs beside the window, watching her with big eyes that were full of kindness and worry. Out of the three, he seemed the most torn up about her being hurt and from what she remembered the other night, the hippo was completely shaken. After being in this kind of profession for nearly three years, you'd think he, like Bentley and Sly, would be used to that kind of scene.

Jazlyn sighed then winced when she tweaked her ribs, and she ignored Sly's attempt to help her rest more firmly in her pillows with a flick of her wrist. She'll be fine, but they needed to cool it. They barely knew each other and they weren't exactly on friendship status.

"I'm not going to break, you know?" She told them wryly.

Sly raised an eyebrow and his lips twitched a little. "Coulda fooled us, Spots. You normally have run-ins with ex-boyfriends like that?"

Before she could respond, Bentley interrupted their banter before it could start. "Sly, don't rile her up before we ask some questions."

"We don't wanna hurt her more, right?" Murray asked, his hands in his laps as he fidgeted.

Bentley nodded, shooting Sly another look before he could make a witty joke. "We need to know what happened before you let us listen in. I have a few theories, but I need some proof first."

"So, an interrogation?" She pressed herself back into her pillows and closed her eyes a moment to collect her thoughts. For some reason, her chest suddenly ached and she couldn't really figure out why.

She felt Sly pat her arm apologetically, "Sorry, Spots, but we need to know the situation, so we can decide what to do next."

One green eye peaked at him through thick lashes. "No, I get it. Only fair since it's your lives and all."

"Don't go and lock us out already, Spots. We're doing this to figure out who did this to you and why."

"Sly is right, miss." Bentley began to type away at his laptop. "If that fiend was watching Sly then he should have known that you weren't part of us and we're not exactly on first name basis."

The snow leopardess hid her flinch, but he was right. She never gave them her first name because she'd always been paranoid since first becoming an amateur thief, but there was another reason why Jazlyn didn't want to give them her name. It meant that they were getting close—that they were becoming more than just simple acquaintances and on the road to possible friendship. She didn't need it nor did she want it because it all connected back to a time where she was the biggest joke in school again. However, the fact of the matter remained: She wasn't in high school anymore and the Cooper gang weren't a bunch of kids waiting around every corner to torture her. As it were, they came to her rescue despite how terse and blunt she was with her views toward them. They took her to a hospital and stuck around to make sure she actually woke up instead of returning to their lives as thieves. After all of that, they deserved to know at least her name (though she was more than positive that Bentley would be looking up all her history the minute she did).

"Jazlyn," she said, eyes opened and intent on the turtle sitting across from her. Murray blinked innocently, Sly stilled, his own gaze visibly widening, and Bentley stopped typing.

"What?" The three notorious members of the Cooper gang, one of the most wanted thieves on Interpol's list, could only articulate their shock in one word.

The snow leopardess sighed, rolling her eyes. "My name. It's Jazlyn."

Recovering first, the green turtle started typing again and her ears twitched at the quick clicks on the keyboard. She raised an eyebrow and cleared her throat. "I know you want to do a background check on me and everything, Bentley, but you're not going to find much other than a birth certificate, school records, and a missing mammal report."

Sly's ears perked at the last word and he straightened in his chair, focusing completely on her. "Missing mammal report?"

Murray moved in his seat, turning to face her now with big curious eyes that held no suspicion whatsoever, and Bentley paused in his search to glance up at her, waiting for an explanation. Jazlyn sat further into the pillows, knowing full well that this was probably going to be a long discussion. She motioned for Bentley to shut his laptop, so he'd actually listen instead of double-checking her story. The thought made her snort as the turtle finally closed and placed his precious computer on the table beside him.

"It's a classic 'runaway from home' story, really," She began, closing her eyes. "I had no family, so I lived at an orphanage for most of my childhood until my parents' close friend and attorney took me under her wing. She let me live with her and her kids from time to time throughout my junior high and high school."

Murray frowned, confusion washing over his kind features as he asked, "Then why did you leave?"

Both Bentley and Sly seemed to agree as well as they shared a look, and Jazlyn opened her eyes to meet all three gazes. She needed them to understand that despite having someone who cared enough to take her in along with her owlets, her life wasn't at all that great. "My kind aren't known to come this far south, and we normally prefer the frigid, snow-covered mountains than cities and warmer climates. I was the only snow leopard in my school from kindergarten all the way to my sophomore year. I'd been kicked out of several schools for 'starting fights' and misdemeanors despite the fact that I never started them in the first place. Everyone at each school always thought it strange and peculiar that a snow leopard was even here. In the beginning, it was simple curiosity since not many mammals get to see us outside of the mountains, then it quickly morphed into bullying and teasing."

She lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug that said, "What can you do?" Jazlyn had long since accepted what had happened even though it left her with emotional scars along the way. She wouldn't change much of her past, but the teenager still felt bad for leaving Ms. Fowle without much of word of where she was going. There were several times she almost called the kind barn owl just to let her know that she was okay and alive.

Well, mostly alive.

"I left when I was almost seventeen and hadn't looked back since." Jazlyn watched as the three thieves mulled over what she said. Bentley kept glancing over to his laptop, wanting to check her story for lies most likely and she rolled her eyes at him. "Go ahead and try to prove me wrong, Bentley. I'll wait, s'not like I can go anywhere, anyway."

Sly chuckled as his friend flushed at being caught so easily by the snow leopardess. Instead of grabbing his computer, the turtle cleared his throat noisily and adjusted his glasses. The raccoon shook his head then paused, a thought having struck him. "Why'd you become a thief?"

Another half-shrug. "Survival, mainly. Plus, it was better than becoming a prostitute."

Murray seemed confused over the last word, but he accepted her reasoning with a slight dip of his head. Sly and Bentley, on the other hand, shared another look that clearly showed that they weren't going to easily accept the pathetic attempt to hide her true reasons for becoming a thief. She'd already opened up enough for one day, and they could press her for the real reason she decided to go down this particular path all they wanted but she wouldn't budge. There was a good reason why she didn't immediately offer her name up to Sly that first meeting or slip any hints about her past. Some things were best left in the dark to rot.

Jazlyn feigned a yawn, though a genuine one soon followed, and just as she was about to tell them that she was tired, the mare nurse from before entered the room. She carried a vial that most likely was the painkiller that Dr. Lutrin had promised. Sly stood up so the nurse could access the IV drip to check her vitals again and to give her the dosage, which immediately began to take hold of Jazlyn's consciousness. Strong drugs were her biggest weakness and no matter how hard she tried to fight them, she always ended up giving in to the alluring darkness of sleep.

Vaguely, she could hear the mare telling the Cooper gang that Jazlyn would be sleeping the rest of the day and visiting hours would be ending soon. As Jazlyn began to settle down further into her pillows, she turned her head toward the beeping machines that constantly monitored her heart and relaxed her tense muscles. She didn't realize she was so tense until the morphine, or whatever the hell the nurse gave her, started rushing through her bloodstream. Well, considering how she had to face the Cooper gang and explain just what the hell happened and admit a part of her past as well as her name, it was very stressful. Something she shouldn't be doing while she's recovering.

Her ears barely twitched as shuffling feet headed for the exit or the slight creak of her bed as someone sat. Sleep was a mere breath away, but she still her heard his voice through the drug-induced haze. "I'm sorry you got dragged into our mess, Jazlyn."

Even as she finally succumbed to unconsciousness, the snow leopardess couldn't help but feel outraged at how _nice_ her name sounded coming from the ringtail thief's lips.

 **~o~**

Over the next few days, Jazlyn was constantly looked after by either the hospital staff or Sly and his friends. During the mornings, she would push the nurse call button so someone could help assist her to the bathroom to handle her business and brush her teeth. She then had to deal with more tests and check-ups to ensure her body was recovering and not contracting any kind of infection. Dr. Lutrin would stop by every three to five hours when he was doing his rounds and would ask how she was doing, if she was in pain, blah blah blah. He was such a nice guy and fully enjoyed his work that there were times Jazlyn felt bad that she had to lie to hide her identity as well as protect him from knowing too much.

By mid to late noon, she would hear the Cooper gang make their way to her room and mentally prepared herself for the loud greeting that was, decidedly, normal for Murray. At least he knew that he couldn't hug her with those bulging muscles for arms after Bentley quickly stopped him from initiating a hug after they returned the next day after she woke up. She didn't even want to _think_ about how much that would've hurt if the hippo had succeeded and sighed in relief while Sly pulled the same chair as before to her bedside. After last night, she had to try not to blush over the dream-like haze her body had been in when they left the night prior and the raccoon had said her name so gently. It was strange how much control he had over her, and Jazlyn chalked it up to the fact that he was attractive and had a very nice voice.

While the Cooper gang stayed in her room, they continued to brainstorm over who the assassin was and if this truly was the work of the Klaww Gang. Bentley had also informed the snow leopardess that he'd taken it upon himself to set up some hidden cameras and audio sensors in her room to monitor her after visitor hours were done for the day. Her heart monitor had skyrocketed at the news and if it weren't for the pain, she would've strangled the turtle with her claws. Luckily for the turtle, Sly had managed to talk her down before she injured herself further, and just as a nurse walked in to check what was setting the machines off, Jazlyn had calmed down enough that she resorted to growling under her breath for the lack of privacy.

"Well," Bentley said, as the nurse left after assuring herself that Jazlyn wasn't dying, "we need to make sure that nothing happens to you while we're away. That hitman is still out there somewhere, and we need to ensure your safety until you're released, Jazlyn."

She snorted, pointing a finger in his direction with narrowed eyes, "Oh, no you don't. I'm not an idiot by any means, Bentley, but don't make an excuse that's based on my welfare and protection. Thanks for the concern, but you also wanna make sure I don't do anything stupid, right? Like calling Interpol to tell them you're here in Paris and trying to steal the Clockwerk tail feathers." Jazlyn rolled her eyes, "I'm not a snitch by any means and you guys saved my ass the other night. I kinda owe you one for that."

"Never would've pegged you as an honorable thief, Spots," Sly teased, as he lifted his mug of coffee to his face.

"Hey, hey! I resent that." Jazlyn shifted under the covers to swat at the raccoon halfheartedly. She reached toward the tray for her water that Murray had gotten from the food court in the hospital when he left earlier to get food for the two other thieves. "Anyway, I don't expect you to believe or trust me—I'd wonder how any of you made it this far without getting caught—but I'm not exactly on the right side of the law either, mind you."

"You're not on Interpol's Wanted List as far as I can see, but even so, I'm not risking anything." Bentley said bluntly, adjusting his glasses on his face while he paused in whatever it was he was doing on his laptop.

The snow leopardess rolled her eyes again as she recapped the water bottle. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever makes you happy, Bentley. Though, there better not be a damn camera in that bathroom, you hear me?" She fixed the turtle with a glare who remained unmoving and waited a second before adding, "That includes any kind of mic that records to sound, too."

At this, Bentley grumbled as he shut his laptop and placed it to the side as he got up from his seat. Sly and Murray laughed as their friend walked toward the bathroom door while Jazlyn grinned in triumph.

Even though the Cooper gang came by around the same time the last few days to keep her company, Jazlyn felt like a burden to them. She knew that they had work to do and the window for opportunity to snatch the tail feathers would be growing shorter the more time they spent wasting with her during the day. None of them explained how they gathered intel but she was more than certain most of it came from Bentley hacking and gathering information with his laptop, but there had to be times they physically had to move during the day to prepare for the night's escapades. She wanted to get out of the hospital as soon as possible so she could be out of their fur and they could concentrate on what they needed to without her in the way.

But then, it left the question: Where would she go? Her own headquarters was completely out of the question since her attacker had easily found her there and was probably waiting for the chance she'd go back. Sly had told her that they'd grab her belongings—the _fu tao_ swords, her laptop, and anything that might come back to bite her in the ass if law enforcement "happened" to stumble on her hideout. She was grateful that they'd taken her most valuable possessions back to their safe house, but she couldn't possibly stay with them. That would be asking for too much when she knew Bentley didn't trust her and she wasn't exactly a hundred percent in completely trusting them yet either. She would need someplace to stay until she had completely healed, but the options were few and far between as her warehouse had been, for the most part, home to her.

She did originally have an apartment that was enough for a single, high school dropout like her could afford in the eyes of the public without being suspicious. After finding the warehouse, her time spent working was nearly all day, every day no matter what she did to free up time during the night to work so she could keep up appearances during the day. In the end, she sold her apartment and cleared out a space near the upper levels of the warehouse to sleep in, but she would eventually rent another apartment that was smaller and had very few noisy neighbors. She only kept up with the rent so she could have a shower and kitchen, but for the most part, she stayed in the warehouse.

Neither one was exactly favorable since she wouldn't been able to work now that she had an assassin out to get her still, and if he was working for the Klaww Gang then she wouldn't be safe anymore. She didn't really have much of choice where she could go, but she couldn't bring herself to ask if they would let her stay for a few days until she could find a more suitable place to go. Jazlyn rubbed her face tiredly, this was getting more and more complicated the longer she got herself wrapped up in Sly's war with the Klaww Gang. She hadn't even _done_ anything yet to cause friction between herself and them, but she guessed it didn't really matter whether or not she did since she was associated with Sly in some shape or form, though she wasn't even exactly sure what to call their relationship.

Whatever the case, she needed to decide what to do before she was released from the hospital. She glanced to her cracked door, having heard the familiar sounds of Murray, Bentley, and Sly as they approached, but instead of the lighthearted tones she'd come familiar with, there was a serious note in their conversation. As they were entering, Jazlyn was struggling to sit up with quivering arms and cursed inelegantly as her ribs complained sharply at her sudden jerk. Murray was the first through the doorway and instantly offered some help as he very, _very_ carefully lifted her up underneath her armpits like she was a cub and helped her sit up.

"Thanks." She patted his arm while catching her breath from the small exertion and frowned. It was gonna be a long, annoying couple of weeks spent on bedrest and minimum activity, which meant she'd have to work herself back into shape again. The teenager sighed in frustration as she took a handful of chips Murray offered to snack on until dinner would arrive.

Instead of taking his usual seat by the window, the hippo hovered nearby while both Sly and Bentley stood at the foot of her bed with perplexed faces. She eyed them with wariness as she chewed and motioned for them to spit out whatever was on their minds. Maybe they were here to tell her that they would be leaving town soon? Or tell her that they would help check her out of the hospital to keep up appearances and then they'd all go their separate ways? A pang settled in her heart at the thought, but she remained impassive and refused to show how much this silence was affecting her. She wouldn't show that their eventual departure would hurt her—that she would lose a connection that was almost classifiable as friendship and be alone once more.

"We need to talk, Jazlyn," Bentley finally began but seemed hesitant to continue when he glanced over to his raccoon friend.

The snow leopardess in question nodded, "Go on. I'm listening."

Sly sighed, crossing his arms and fixing her with the most serious look she'd ever seen on his face in all her days knowing him. There was not an ounce of mischief or amusement in those eyes of his and Jazlyn's composure nearly cracked at that stare but she remained firm. She could handle this—whatever _this_ was.

"We need to know if you're willing to still work with us." Sly watched for her reaction and when he received nothing more than another nod for him to continue, he added, "Obviously, you'll still be out of commission for another few weeks and won't be back on your feet until then, but you can do some recon and info gathering with Bentley until then."

That got more of reaction out of her as she blinked owlishly at him. She barely kept her jaw from dropping as he steamed head, apparently her silence had reassured him that she wasn't declining the offer yet. "Bentley won't be comfortable with you out on missions until you've earned that right, which will give you some time to get back into shape until then. We're going after the tail feathers in the next week and a half, and we'll be leaving immediately after that, so we need to know now. Are you in or out?"

She opened her mouth then closed it again because she couldn't even think clearly enough to form a sentence. Was he asking her to _join his gang?_ Jazlyn looked at Murray, who was still munching on chips and gave her a thumbs-up, then she flicked her gaze to the turtle who wasn't meeting her eyes but his body language said that he was waiting for her response. If it wasn't for the constant beeping of her heart monitor and other machinery or that with every breath she inhaled there was a sharp pain, then she would've of thought she was dead.

"I'm sorry?" She articulated brilliantly much to her annoyance and still baffled mind.

Sly's mouth twitched upwards and mirth danced in his gaze now as he took in her clearly shocked face. Screw remaining nonchalant, she had every right to be confused and stunned after hearing what he said.

"We won't force you into anything you don't want to do, and you can leave whenever you want. None of us want you to think that you have no choice, so take your time in deciding," Sly said, moving back to lean against the wall while Bentley moved slowly to his chair, still watching her with a wary look. "We'll wait."

If she could laugh, then she would have right then. Instead, she shook her head clear and mulled over what he was offering—what they were all offering. They were giving her the chance to decide on whether she wanted to continue this strange connection of sorts and become partners-in-crime. They were giving her a way out of this city and a way to travel the world without a care in the world—minus the fact that they needed to avoid Interpol and other law enforcement. Or dying from trained hitmen and the Klaww Gang. She couldn't believe that they were willing to go this far with her—she hadn't even been completely honest with them and she was practically a stranger. A stranger that they saved and kept visiting while she stayed in the hospital in a coma then when she awoke from said coma.

This was all so crazy, and yet it felt right at the same time. She wasn't even sure she really needed to consider anything else since the minute she decided not tell that panther anything about the Cooper gang, she already knew what she would choose now.

"Okay," Jazlyn said, a half-smile tugging at one corner of her lips at the full-blown smirk on Sly's face and Murray's crow of delight. She noticed that Bentley had nodded in resignation whether at the fact he'd have to deal with her _and_ Sly at the same time or because she seemed to always see right through him. Either way, she didn't really care anymore.


	6. Learning the Ropes

**Wow, I actually updated on time for once! WHOO (even though I'm posting this a little after midnight but whatever)! Anyway, I won't keep y'all from reading. Please leave a review-I truly love reading them when I get notified!**

 **Enjoy!**

 **~Delyth**

* * *

 _Chapter Five_

 _Learning the Ropes_

Her first impression of the Cooper gang's safehouse was that there were a lot of windows compared to the nightclub that was literally adjacent to the leased house and the other apartment complexes. Upon entering the home, she realized that she couldn't hear Dimitri's loud, rumbling bass music from the club. Either whoever lived in here last had soundproofed the walls, so they could actually think and to sleep, or the Cooper gang had installed it themselves. Jazlyn didn't care who did it, she was just thankful to be away from the obnoxious music.

The interior reminded her a little of her own temporary apartment with the ivory walls, carpet that had been around for decades but was clean minus a few stains; a kitchen that was in another room passed the living room and where Bentley had setup their operations center; and a hallway that probably led to individual bedrooms and a bathroom. Sly had said there were two moderately sized bedrooms and a full bathroom, but she was welcomed to the master bedroom since she was still recovering. At her protests, he raised an eyebrow and told her that the trio had already decided that she'd stay there while two of them bunked in the second bedroom and someone would crash on the couch. In the end, she'd given in because she just didn't have the strength to go toe-to-toe with Sly at the moment; plus, she didn't want to insult them for giving her a place to stay and welcoming her in like they had.

Murray had taken it upon himself to carry her around instead of actually letting her limp on her crutches, which made her ribs hurt with each step, and immediately headed for the couch to set her down. He grinned at her before leaving her side to get pillows and a blanket, and while she appreciated the kind hippo's concern and willingness to take care of her, Jazlyn had to bite back her irritation. She hated being treated like a porcelain doll, but he was only trying to help and logically, she knew better than to bring herself more pain when she could avoid it.

Both Sly and Bentley lagged behind, carrying what few belongings she had into her new room. She could vaguely hear Bentley complaining about her _fu tao_ swords being so heavy to which the raccoon replied, "Would you like me to carry it for you, pal? Wouldn't want you to strain anything."

Even from her spot on the couch, she heard the teasing lilt in his voice and she knew his trademark smirk was firmly in place. Jazlyn couldn't hear the turtle's response, but based on Sly's laughter, it was probably a flustered comeback.

She tilted her head, noting the table that was holding several types of machinery that Jazlyn couldn't even begin to fathom. Bentley's laptop was front and center amongst the pile of tech and near the end of the table was a projector of sorts just waiting to be used again. It faced the wall that separated the kitchen from the rest of the apartment, and the table was in clear view of the large glass window that overlooked the circular street, Dimitri's club, and a few housing complexes. While Jazlyn knew that they needed to be close to the lizard's home base in case anything happened or keep an eye on things, she was nervous of the clear proximity and view the windows allowed. Any of the lizard's guards could see into the safehouse if they dared to and their cover would easily be blown.

"Here ya are, Miss Jazlyn," Murray said, his voice bringing her back from her paranoid thoughts as he began to sort the large pillows he commandeered and the blankets. She blinked as he created a nest of pure comfort—it honestly felt like she was resting against a cloud it was so soft and relaxing. As she settled back into the makeshift nest, Murray nodded in approval of his work. "You can just stay here while we get everything settled!"

 _He's like a kid,_ she thought with a soft smile. "Thanks, Murray. I'll just sit back and let y'all do the work." She paused, realizing that he'd been formal with her when saying her name. Before he could turn to help Sly and Bentley bring in the last of her things, she called out, "You can just call me 'Jazlyn,' Murray."

"Deal!" He pumped his fist in the air, flashed a smile, and a thumbs-up before heading outside.

Jazlyn sighed, drained both physically and mentally. Getting her discharged from the hospital had taken the better part of the day as Dr. Lutrin wanted to make sure that she was in great health before leaving. Her immune system would be more susceptible to viruses if she wasn't careful, and he warned her to stay out of the cool air for as long as she could until her lung and ribs were in better shape. If she caught pneumonia, then she'd be in big trouble as he had put it. In the end, Dr. Lutrin added another prescription just in case she caught a virus or got sick along with the other medication he prescribed her for pain and possible infections.

Sly had picked them up while Bentley and Murray grabbed some lunch for everyone. Jazlyn had remained in the van, dozing in the passenger seat in borrowed scrubs since her clothes had to be cut off her in preparation for surgery. Even while half-asleep, the snow leopardess had heard the raccoon open the back doors and started ripping the bags that held her pain killers and antibiotics open. Around the same time, both Murray and Bentley had returned with food. She took her meds after eating and promptly fell asleep against the passenger window. The next thing she knew, Murray was carrying her into the safehouse, it was almost dinnertime, and she could hear Sly tell Bentley that it hadn't taken them nearly as long to grab all of her things.

Even as she closed her eyes and just listened to the trio tease and joke around while they worked, Jazlyn felt like such an outsider. It was expected since the three had known each other for so long and she'd purposefully kept them out of her personal life for the sake of survival—a great plan that was, she thought with an eye roll. Maybe with time, she could eventually allow her walls to come down and completely let them know who she really was.

"You asleep, Spots?" Sly's voice startled her from her musings and she opened her eyes to glare halfheartedly up at him. He was leaning over her, smirk in place, twinkling eyes filled with mischief and mirth, and the raccoon had no qualms for her personal space as their muzzles nearly touched.

Jazlyn reached up and swatted his hat with a slight chuckle as he flinched back with a dramatic flair. He tilted his chin back to dodge the clumsy slap and waved his arms wildly, so he could catch his balance, but she knew that he was only humoring her as she shook her head. "Ever heard of personal space, Cooper?"

Before the raccoon could reply, Bentley cleared his throat from his spot at the table, already working on his laptop again. Her ears twitched as a distant whirring sounded from a printer as it began to shoot out paper with ease. She felt the pillows resting against the armrest shift as Sly leaned a hip as he focused his full attention on the brains of the gang. Murray sat near the end of the couch, ever mindful of where her feet and tail were, and watched the turtle with anticipation.

"Now that Jazlyn is discharged from the hospital and settled here, we can return to the task at hand. While you were in the hospital, Jazlyn, I had Sly and Murray return to the warehouse to search for clues on who your assailant was, but they weren't able to find anything other than the shredded pieces of clothing from the initial fight." He started to take the sheets of paper that were finished and began to organize them as he talked. "From what they told me and based on your retelling of what happened, I believe that whoever attacked you is not only a professional, but he must be working for the Klaww Gang. This is still a theory as we weren't able to recover anything; however, until proven otherwise, I think it's best if we all take great caution while out in the field. He is no doubt still out there, waiting."

Sly patted her shoulder comfortingly, having noticed how she tensed up at the mere thought of the panther finding her again to silence her. "You hurt him, Spots, and Murray was able to get a few punches in, too, before Bentley knocked him out. He's probably still licking his wounds, too."

"Even so," she murmured, blurred memories of that night rose to the surface as she tried to think of discerning features or markings that could connect him to the Klaww Gang. "I don't think he's just a professional—he enjoys the hunt, the torture, and the kill. Unless his injuries are keeping him bedridden, I highly doubt he'll stay inside forever. I bet he's been trying to find your trails or mine if he thinks I'm still alive."

"Don't worry, Jazlyn, we'll protect you," Murray grinned, ever confident and sure that they could handle a single panther with ease.

Sly chuckled and squeezed her shoulder. "I agree with the big guy, Spots. And, we'll be careful while out and about."

"Alright." Jazlyn nodded slowly with a small smile before turning back to the patient turtle who had finished organizing the stacks of paper. "By the way, Bentley, what're those?"

"I'm glad you asked," the turtle said dryly, shifting in his seat and carrying the stacks to the couch. He plopped them down in her lap and adjusted his glasses that were drifting off his nose. "I need you to go through all these documents I hacked from Dimitri's computers. Take detailed notes—we need to know how the Klaww Gang is operating with Dimitri's input from the Clockwerk tail feathers. There should be schematics of the club's interior, foundation, and blueprints for the initial construction of the printing press room."

Jazlyn tried to keep her jaw from falling to the floor as she practically gawked at him. She didn't think he'd give her such a job when she first joined the group, and while she was rather adept in reading in between the lines when it came to researching for her own heists, she never thought she'd be put on the spot like this. Was this some kind of test? Knowing Bentley and the fact that she'd have to earn his trust before she could even get back into the field, every assignment he gave her was going to be some kind of test. To see if she would add to the team or slow them down. She narrowed her eyes, the challenge clear and sending her blood boiling. She wasn't going to back down from anything he threw at her, and the snow leopardess nodded.

Bentley didn't bat an eye at her sudden change in behavior nor did he cower at her intense stare as she began to shuffle through the stack. "While Jazlyn does some research, Murray, you'll need to silence these alarm boxes that will alert the guards to any potential threat to the club or the printing press room. Meanwhile, Sly, you'll head to the nearby theater that Dimitri owns and shut down security there that serves as the protection for the printing press room. You'll need to be careful as the place will be crawling with guards. Hopefully, by tomorrow morning we'll have some more information about the nightclub thanks to Jazlyn."

With that, Bentley returned to his laptop to prepare for both Murray's and Sly's missions. She barely glanced up as Murray jumped from the couch with a crow of delight and informed the turtle he'll head out now. Sly still remained leaning against the armrest of the couch, and she could feel his eyes as they tried to read through the files.

Wryly, Jazlyn glanced back and raised an eyebrow. "Do you mind? Kinda hard to read with you peering over my shoulder like that."

"Are you saying that I'm _distracting_ you, Spots?" His eyes darkened and she noticed that his tail flicked teasingly behind him. She refused to show how he purred her new nickname and, instead, reached up to flick his snout. Sly dodged with ease and caught her wrist with a…well, with a _sly_ smile. "Now, now, don't do anything rash. You're still recuperating, remember?"

In response, she rolled her eyes and tried to snatch her hand away, only to find that Sly wasn't keen on letting her go yet. Behind them, she could hear Bentley informing Murray where the first alarm was, completely immersed in his own little world. The snow leopardess swallowed thickly, her tail curled tighter around her leg, as she strained to keep her warring emotions in check. Sly was just a huge flirt—a playboy who would smirk and glance at pretty women before making a suave remark. Giving in to hormones or his honeyed words was not only dangerous, but it was downright suicidal. She would only end up hurt and no matter how smooth he was or how good-looking he was, Jazlyn wasn't going to give in. But, _God,_ he knew how to make a woman yearn for him.

Sly lowered his head until he was completely eyelevel with her, brown eyes met wide jade. He glanced up, staring at her through his thick lashes, and she tensed as he drew closer to her, their breaths mingled and their noses brushed. Jazlyn refused to look away (more like, she didn't _want_ to) as she watched with bated breath as his lips nearly glided over hers, but his mouth continued downward, that sly smirk and burning gaze having captivated her completely. She nearly lost her breath as he touched her knuckles of the hand he still held, bowing slightly over it and grasping her hand like it was the most delicate artifact in the world. Her body ached for a different reason now and she had to remind herself over and over again that Sly Cooper was off limits.

That smirk morphed into a full-fledged smile as he chuckled at her stupefied reaction. A tint of red began to spread along her near white fur, and her lips parted slightly to tell him something—but for the life of her she couldn't think straight. Damn him and his stupid flirting ways.

He released her hand and stood straight again, his attention ever focused on her and the way her eyes followed him like a cat watching a canary, just waiting to pounce. Carefully, Jazlyn took a deep breath and relaxed her muscles one by one until she was somewhat calm again.

"You know," she cleared her suddenly dried throat, and pretended that her cheeks weren't flushed at all. "I can't exactly do my job if you're playing around."

"Awe, but you've got all night to read those files."

She snorted and gestured toward the turtle who was telling the hippo that he had two more to go, "I'm not one to be lazy about a challenge, Sly. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to start skimming through these."

The raccoon shrugged in defeat but didn't leave her side as he looked at the current document she was holding—the blueprints for the printing press. "Bentley has researched about the printing press room, I don't know much else you'll be able to find out that he hasn't already seen."

"Ah, but fresh eyes tend to help see something he didn't find himself." She waved him away and grabbed the pen Bentley had also left for her to use. "Shoo, shoo. I need to focus here."

Chuckling, he raised both hands in surrender and sat beside Bentley at the table. Finally left alone to look over the stolen files, Jazlyn began to look over the blueprints to the printing press first.

 **~o~**

Jazlyn adjusted the blankets she'd brought from her temporary room in the safehouse and lifted the file she was reading a little closer. Her eyes scanned the documents related to Dimitri's dealings in his nightclub and the number of ways he helped the Klaww Gang spread spice—the newest and addictive drug the notorious gang had created. As far as she could tell, Dimitri was simply providing a way for the Klaww Gang to spread more of the spice on the streets.

She narrowed her eyes. Bentley had filled her in on how they gotten involved with them and explained that the Clockwerk parts were more than just ageless machinery the Klaww Gang was using them as. Clockwerk was an owl so hellbent on his jealous and hatred for the Cooper clan that he turned his entire body into a machine just so he could hunt down the Coopers throughout the ages. To have that much hatred inside…she shook her head at the thought. It was bewildering and alarming that Sly and his friends had even confronted the immortalize bird in the first place, but even so, Jazlyn couldn't help her sudden rise in respect toward the trio. They'd stolen back the pages to Sly's family's legacy—the _Thievius Raccoonus_ —and confronted Clockwerk to finally end the hatred only to find out two years later that the very being who was hellbent on destroying the Cooper line was back but in pieces.

Bentley explained the reason they were recovering the Clockwerk parts was to destroy them. After hearing the story more or less, Jazlyn couldn't agree more—she never wanted to run into the monster that had enough hatred to keep him going for centuries to end his rivals.

"I'd always heard rumors and stories about the famous Clockwerk and Cooper rivalry through ThiefNet, but I never realized just how horrible it must have been." Jazlyn had said, shaking her head in slight bewilderment as she tried to process everything the turtle had told her. She'd asked Bentley for more details on the parts they were stealing back from the Klaww Gang as well as how they all met and boy, did she get the answer of a lifetime from the turtle.

Bentley nodded, pulling his attention from her to the computer screen in front of him. He had been filling in Sly on the security system he needed to destroy in the theatre through his headset. "Clockwerk can't be allowed to come back to life."

"Do you think that they would try? To put him back together, I mean."

"I theorize that they most likely have someone adept enough with machinery who could put the parts back together." He turned to glance at her, "The important thing right now is to take them back and make sure that doesn't happen."

After that, Jazlyn had remained silent, so she could mull over everything. She still couldn't believe that, like her, the trio of thieves had come from the same orphanage as her and while the snow leopardess didn't tell them that, she found it strange that she'd never come into contact with them. Surely, she would have noticed a pink hippo, green turtle, and raccoon boy carrying a cane around. Whatever the case, maybe she would call Ms. Fowle and ask if she could find out how long the Cooper gang had stayed at Happy Campers before she arrived just to sate her curiosity.

While she had pondered this, Bentley finished explaining to Sly that if he couldn't use the fans to climb up to the chandelier then he'd need to pickpocket the guards for keys. Dimly, she could hear Sly's confident reply with her sensitive ears and rolled her eyes in exasperation.

Jazlyn returned to the files that were marked with her notes in the margins and underlined passages she'd figured would be useful later. She hadn't run into any issues with understanding Dimitri's reports so far and security formations for not only the nightclub but for the printing press room. However, she did narrow her eyes in frustration when reading through the lizard's detailed schedule for the next month and a half. He was all over Paris, shopping at one famous clothing store after the next during the daytime before returning to his nightclub in the evening. There were time slots expanding from 7 p.m. to almost 9 p.m. that were simply labeled "meeting." Why couldn't he have written "meeting with so-and-so" instead?

For all she knew, they could be meetings with the DJ or interior designers. If he had labeled them more specifically then maybe they could possibly listen in on one of his calls with another Klaww Gang member. She sighed, rubbing her temples to soothe the building headache. How in the world did this lizard even become a member of the Klaww Gang in the first place? He had to be the stupidest reptile she'd ever had the unfortunate chance to know.

She reached for the glass water on the table beside her, careful not to jostle her notes while she drank. After placing the cup back down again, Jazlyn's ears twitched in the general direction of the kitchen as Murray, having finished his job successfully, was humming to himself while fixing pizza for them to eat. Bentley was still communicating with Sly while he carefully maneuvered his way past guards, so he could unlock a power box for the fans.

When he finished speaking, Jazlyn asked, "Hey, Bentley, have you bugged Dimitri's office?"

The turtle adjusted his glasses as he turned in his seat to meet her stare. "Not yet. Why?"

"I think you should. In Dimitri's personal schedule, it mentions time slots set out for 'meetings,' though I'm not exactly sure who he might be meeting with since it doesn't really say." She held out the schedule she'd marked to him and the turtle reached over to grab it. As he scanned over her notes, she added, "He might be having calls with another Klaww Gang member, which might let us hear some interesting information. Plus, I was studying security formations for breaches in certain areas like, for example, the printing press room. The guards aren't stationed there until the nightclub opens and during the day, they have the laser security system activated."

"Yes, I remember reading about that when initially researching the printing press room." Bentley sifted through the schedule some more, eyebrows furrowed in thought or concentration she wasn't exactly sure.

"Well, if there is any security breach in any other area like the alarm systems you had Murray destroy then guards will be stationed in the press room 24/7. In order to draw them away, there'll need to be some distractions in both the nightclub and the water line." At the turtle's raised eyebrow, she shrugged. "I don't understand that reptile's obsession with water either, but I think it's got something to do with all the fountains and miniature waterfalls he owns. You had Murray destroy a part of the water pump, so Dimitri's probably already got extra security around the water tank he owns nearby."

Bentley nodded slowly and seemed to mull over what she had initially found. "I'll search for a possible plant we could use to attach the bug."

"Maybe look up possessions Dimitri might have insured for his office? You said he was an aspiring artist, right? He's bound to have some kind of painting there." The turtle absentmindedly dipped his head to show he'd heard her suggestion and began to type away on his laptop again. Jazlyn tried to keep the proud grin off her face as she returned her attention to the files once again.

She picked up the blueprints for the front of the club and the dancefloor situated in the back. Her eyes skimmed through the architect's notes about the braces that held both the gaudy peacock sign and the disco ball up. The snow leopardess noted the braces that were holding the over 500-pound disco ball up in the air over the dancefloor then nearly blinked stupidly at the blueprints when she noticed that the sign might be loosened if the mirror ball fell. She shifted through the pile again to find the printing press's blueprints and read through her notes plus the architect's concepts in the margins. The printing press room was situated directly underneath the nightclub, the press room itself was just under the fountain out front. If they pulled the peacock sign down, then they could enter through the hole and directly into the press room to snatch the Clockwerk tail feathers.

The question was, would it be worth it? She wasn't sure if Bentley would agree to her forming plan as it would be very dangerous since all the guards would be quite aware of what they were up to the minute the sign fell. She decided that she'd make note of it anyway and the turtle could take her advice or premature plans as good ones or scratch them out completely. If she was going to steal the tail feathers, Jazlyn wouldn't make such a show about it by pulling the sign down (after all, she didn't earn her name by being obvious and loud), but with so many security checkpoints to bypass just to reach the printing press room itself, it would be too risky to go that way.

"Chow's done!" Murray called from the kitchen and Jazlyn felt her stomach gurgle in both complaint and relief that food was only feet away.

She began to stack and reorganize the files to be put away while she ate. Bentley told Sly that he could come back to the safehouse for the night and he set the headset down with a stretch. He slid out from the chair and headed for the kitchen; while Jazlyn pulled the blanket off her legs and carefully lifted herself from the pillows and blankets. Her arms began to quiver in distress, her breath hissed between clenched teeth as she stood shakily on her legs. The stitches across part of her face stretched and tightened as she worked her jaw to keep the moan of pain from escaping. She would eventually need to start walking again, better now than never. Dr. Lutrin had given her some crutches to use until she could walk on her foot again but using both was out of the question until her ribs stopped complaining so much. She reached for one and situated it under her right arm before making the painful trip to the kitchen.

Her eyes were set to the task in front of her, but from her peripheral, she saw the screen to Bentley's laptop light up and she could hear the raccoon's voice coming from the headset. Without thinking, she sat down in the turtle's chair and grabbed it. "Say that again, Cooper. Didn't make out all of that."

There was a beat of silence before he asked, _"I'm surprised you heard me at all, Spots, but where's Bentley?"_

"In the kitchen with Murray. By the way, we're having pizza for dinner." She glanced down at the clock in the far right corner with a raised eyebrow. Almost 3 a.m. and they were just now having supper. Jazlyn shrugged, her inner clock was used to eating this late and she was still very alert despite the late hour. "What's up?"

" _Well, the Constable Neyla is on a rooftop about two homes down from mine."_ To show her what he meant, he took out his binocucom, a gadget Bentley had created himself that were a combination of binoculars and an earwig, and angled it toward the roof he was talking about. On Bentley's screen, she could see exactly who Sly was talking about and narrowed her eyes in thought. She remembered Bentley telling her that it was the tigress from Interpol who let slip that the Klaww Gang was responsible for stealing the Clockwerk parts.

"She looks like she's waiting for something. Bentley said that she told you about the Klaww Gang, so she must know that you'd come to collect the lizard's part first. Is that fox nearby?" Jazlyn's tail flicked nervously, the only sign that she was concerned about being put on the spot like this. She was pretty sure that the minute Bentley came back from the kitchen, he'd squawk at her for giving the raccoon advice like this. _Oh well, I'm not exactly reckless and I'm not going to let Sly do something stupid. It should be fine,_ she thought in amusement.

On the screen, she watched as Sly looked around for any Interpol agents or the vixen who has been chasing Cooper since before he became a fully realized master thief. _"I don't see anyone else other than her. I think she's waiting for me."_

Jazlyn tilted her head in thought. "Do you think she's going to give you another lead?"

" _It's possible. I'm going down to meet her. Stay on the line, just in case."_ He ended the binocucom's connection, but she could still hear him as he headed toward her.

To save Sly's hearing, she moved the microphone away from her mouth and called out, "Bentley, Murray! You need to get in here!"

Bentley rushed out from the kitchen with his plate stacked with two slices of pizza and gawked at her sitting in his chair and headset like she knew he would. Coming right behind him with two plates, one stacked incredibly high and the other with three slices, Murray nearly ran into his friend but was able to stop in time before he could knock the turtle over.

"What's going on, Jazlyn?" Murray asked, recovering first at seeing her with the headset on and coming to sit down across from her. He set the plate with three slices down beside her and she thanked him with a smile.

"Sly said the Constable is here and he's going to talk to her." She paused, listening as the wind from Sly running died down. "You can yell at me later, Bentley, but right now, he's about to talk to her so let's focus on that first."

Bentley made his way over to the table, sat his plate down, and reached over to the laptop to hit a button that allowed the sound to echo through the speakers and the headset at the same time. She didn't think that was possible, but if the turtle was able to create the binocucom then he could surely build his laptop with all the special features he wanted.

She couldn't see what was going on, but she could listen and imagine what was happening. There was a beat of absolute silence except for Sly's breathing before she heard, _"Hold it, Cooper."_

The accent sounded vaguely British which instantly sent a wave of annoyance through Jazlyn. She could clearly hear the irritating undertones of smugness as the tiger thought she caught the master thief. There was barely a pause as Sly said, dryly, " _Constable Neyla, another woman cop hot on my trail. What a treat."_

Bentley shared a look with the unconcerned hippo who was currently stuffing his pizza into his mouth. Jazlyn raised an eyebrow but didn't comment as the Interpol agent chuckled, _"No need to lump me in with Carmelita. I led you here on purpose."_

All three of them stopped breathing at the clear admission coming from the Constable's mouth. She led the Cooper gang here with the intent of possibly helping them? Why would an Interpol agent even help a bunch of criminals steal the Clockwerk parts back from the Klaww Gang? Was she acting like a double agent? Pretend to help the trio then stab them in the back when they least expect it and handcuff them? Jazlyn narrowed her eyes, a small growl rumbling from her throat at the thought. She didn't trust Neyla and she knew without even glancing at Bentley, that he wasn't exactly on board trusting the tigress either.

" _So, mentioning the Klaww Gang_ _ **was**_ _a clue…But why help me out in the first place? I'm not exactly on the right side of the law."_ She could hear the raccoon twirling his cane in the air, appearing by all means nonchalant about speaking with a cop. Then again, Jazlyn was sure he was like this with all women who happened to be on the right side of the law since he _is_ a player.

" _I'm not like my partner—I don't see everything as black and white as she does. I know more than Carmelita does about the danger the Clockwerk parts are, and I don't want them to end in the wrong hands like the Klaww Gang's."_

"Why wouldn't Carmelita know as much about the Clockwerk parts?" Bentley mused aloud, rubbing his chin in thought, pizza long forgotten.

The snow leopardess nodded in agreement, "If she's working the same case, then she would've researched about the parts that were stolen from that museum in Cairo, right?"

"She's very good at her job and takes it seriously. She wouldn't be irresponsible in finding out more on what she was supposed to be guarding. Carmelita would also know firsthand why the Clockwerk parts shouldn't be in the hands of the Klaww Gang." The turtle paused, listening to the conversation continue through the speakers of his laptop.

" _So, it takes a thief to catch a thief?"_

Another small chuckle from the Constable. _"Exactly. However, if I'm going to trust you in this case, I need to know that you can keep up…literally."_

Jazlyn frowned, "She wants him to follow her."

Murray stopped mid-bite and stared at her then at Bentley. "Do y'think Sly will need some back-up, pal?"

Bentley thought a moment as Sly made some flirtatious remark that she nearly gagged at before answering. "If those two are going to be running, you won't be able to keep up, Murray. And with Jazlyn still recovering, she can't go either. We'll just have to wait and see."

"I don't like this," she voiced, her nerves like a livewire as she fiddled with the edge of her Styrofoam plate. "You'll be able to track him, right, Bentley?"

"As long as he has his binocucom," he replied, finally picking up a slice of pizza, "I'll find him."

She sighed, shaking her head but started to eat as well as Sly's breathing quickened from his run and crashing echoed through the speakers. Jazlyn didn't know what the hell was going on, but she figured that the Constable didn't believe in silence.

Murray finished his tall pile of pizza and headed for seconds while Bentley and the snow leopardess started their third, when the wind rushing through the sound system stopped and they could hear Sly panting slightly.

" _The rear entrance to the nightclub?"_ Jazlyn could clearly hear the skepticism in his voice and wondered if he said it for them to let them know where he was or if he was truly surprised.

The smile in the tigess's voice was palpable as she explained, _"Now,_ _ **legally**_ _I can't enter the club without a warrant, but I happened to obtain the key to the rear entrance. If you_ _ **happen**_ _to take the key from me then you can use it_ _ **however**_ _you please."_

" _Oh, we are absolutely going to work well together,"_ Sly laughed, clearly enjoying himself as Neyla handed the key over to him and she left with a "See you around, Cooper," then Jazlyn could no longer hear the woman. The master thief addressed her then, saying, _"You still there, Spots?"_

"Yeah, Bentley and Murray are also here." She flicked her gaze to Bentley who was suddenly thinking very hard and seemingly forgot about the fact that she was using his laptop and headset like she had a right to them. "That was…interesting to say the least, but I don't really trust her. She could be a double agent for Interpol just to get close to you then arrest you when the time strikes."

" _I thought that, too, but she did give us the rear entrance key. Although, I'm not exactly sure how this will help us with the heist. I'll head back and we can figure it out."_ Silence then he asked, _"Did Murray leave any pizza left for me? I'm starving."_

Wordlessly, she looked to Murray who gave a thumbs-up as he started eating another pile of pizza. "Yeah, he did despite the fact this is the second Tower of Pizza he's gotten. How much did you _make_ , Murray?"

The hippo in question thought while he chewed, but it was Bentley who answered in a rather matter-of-face tone. "Over five boxes."

Jazlyn blinked wordlessly before telling Sly, the wonder and shock echoing in her tone. "Yeah, I think there'll be plenty for you. Unless Murray decides to eat that, too, then in that case, you better book it back."

" _Awww,"_ he whined, _"I just sprinted over a mile."_

"If you wanna eat, then I suggest you stop talking and focus all your energy on running." Her lips twitched and before he could whine anymore, she added, "See you back at the safehouse. I'll try to keep myself from eating some of your pizza."

With that, she removed the headset and finished the last bit of pizza she had left. She pushed the laptop over to the turtle who was still thinking about something—most likely, the next set of plans and back-up plans to prepare for the heist. Either way, she didn't want to disturb him and result in a possible stern lecture on how she's not to touch his stuff.

She opened her mouth to ask Murray if he wouldn't mind getting her another few slices, suddenly too tired to really force herself to walk into the kitchen. However, Bentley interrupted her. "Jazlyn, have you finished reading the other documents?"

"For the most part, yeah."

"Okay, I'd like to go over them tomorrow afternoon. In the meantime," he raised an eyebrow as he gave her the evil eye. "let's have that talk about what happened just now."


	7. Bombs, Bombs, and More Bombs

_Chapter Six_

 _Bombs, Bombs, and More Bombs_

Jazlyn groaned as she hobbled into the living room, her side grumbling in complaint as she used her crutch to walk. She slowly lowered herself onto the couch, dropped her crutch beside her, and practically collapsed into the pillows that were still there from last night. The late afternoon light filtered through the large windows and one of Bentley's gadgets caught the sunlight to blind her slightly. She shielded her sensitive eyes and curled into herself, wrapping her tail around her left leg, and breathed deeply.

Last night had been a long one as she, Murray, and Bentley waited for Sly to return. She'd taken her medication and forced herself to remain awake despite sleep brushing against her consciousness. After Bentley's stern lecture for taking the lead on a serious situation like that and using his equipment without him nearby to make sure she didn't do anything suspicious to it, Jazlyn was exhausted. By this point, she'd returned to her nest on the old sofa and fought to keep her eyes open, but it was all for not as she fell asleep anyway. There was a moment between wakefulness and sleep that she felt someone carrying her to her room, but she didn't care who it was as she drifted back into dreamland.

Lying on the couch and soaking in the last ray of sunshine, she listened and enjoyed the silence of the safehouse. If she strained enough, she could hear Bentley's soft snores and Murray's mutterings as he talked in his sleep. Sly, on the other hand, was a silent sleeper, it seemed, as she could barely hear his even breathing. The snow leopardess turned her head, glancing at the files Bentley had read last night while waiting for Sly. She remembered him marking and nodding to himself every now and again, but she wasn't fully alert to decipher his expressions as he read. Did he find her notes of any worth? Not knowing how they normally operated, Jazlyn was still concerned about researching and making notes for plans or ideas. She wasn't a master thief like the raccoon nor did she have the brains like Bentley, but she'd grown to be insightful and cunning with her heists. Normally, she would plan up to a week and a half before striking her target, and more importantly, she would make sure no one even knew she'd been there until it was too late. The Ghost of Paris, indeed.

She shook her head, no need to get cocky just because she had a moniker of sorts by the police here. She wasn't even on Interpol's wanted list as far she could tell, but the minute they figured out the snow leopardess was working with the Cooper gang, she'd definitely become a member on that list.

There was a stirring in the back of the house as one of the trio rose from their slumber. Jazlyn listened silently, waiting patiently for one of them to walk down the hallway. Shuffling steps, small and hesitant, made their way to the living room and Jazlyn unwrapped her tail around her ankle to wave it lazily over the top of the couch. Best not to surprise the turtle if the others were going to sleep longer. There was a slight pause in his gait after seeing her tail, but she heard him round the sofa to look at her with an eyebrow raised.

"Before you say anything," Jazlyn said, holding up the hand that was blocking the sun's rays from her eyes, "I haven't been up long, and I didn't touch your stuff."

Bentley shook his head, a slight blush rising to his cheeks. "That's not what I was going to say." It was her turn to raise an eyebrow and he added, "I was checking on you. Believe it or not, Jazlyn, I don't hate you. It's like you said, trust is earned, but even so, I don't want to see you hurt either."

She blinked at him, mouth almost dropping at his admission. Shaking her head quickly to clear it, Jazlyn said, "Never thought I'd hear that coming from you, but yeah. Trust is earned."

"Anyway, I'm going to fix some leftover pizza. Would you like some?" The turtle began to make his way to the kitchen before hearing her response. He was probably going to make her eat something regardless of what she said.

Again, she was caught off guard by his kindness. She didn't think Bentley hated her, but during her time in the hospital, it was clear that he was practically avoiding her and refused to speak to her for too long. At first, she'd figured it was because Jazlyn was blunt with her words and he'd thought her a bully or fool who didn't have any tact whatsoever. Whatever the case, she didn't expect any kindness coming from him—Murray and Sly, sure, but Bentley? The thought was practically impossible as she tried to lean up and see his back. She expected that he would only talk to her when it was deemed necessary and keep everything else business-like. Maybe it was a good thing that she couldn't read the turtle as well as she thought she could.

With a shrug, she wasn't going to discourage it by any means. "Yeah, however many you're going to eat will be fine, Bentley."

He affirmed that he heard her before disappearing around the corner. Jazlyn leaned back in her mountain of pillows, eyes closing once again as she listened to the sounds of Bentley piddling around in the kitchen. She felt…at peace, almost. Even though there was still a sense that she was encroaching on the trio's sacred bond at times, she felt peaceful and, dare she say it, happy being around the Cooper gang. It felt right to be around them, to work with them, to laugh with them, to joke around with them—all of it.

Jazlyn sighed and pulled the cotton tank top she wore down to cover her midriff a little more. Oddly enough, she felt a slight chill in the air and wondered if the AC was at a low temperature or if Bentley had opened a window in the kitchen somewhere. Whatever the case, it was out of the norm for her to feel a little cold since her fur was so thick—her kind were meant for the icy snow-covered mountains, they didn't get cold easily. Maybe it was because of her injuries and her body was still weak. She placed a hand to her forehead, suddenly worried that she might have a slight fever, but couldn't decide whether she felt warm or not. Her fingers felt cool against her forehead and she curled tightly around herself, wanting the blanket from her bedroom to wrap herself in.

"Cold, Spots?" Jazlyn nearly jumped a foot in the air at Sly's voice murmuring in her ear. She hadn't heard him get up, but that was normal since the raccoon had near silent steps. He grinned at her scowl and jerked back when her hand reached out to slap him. "Now, now, don't go and get all violent. I was just about to offer to retrieve your blanket from your room, but if you want to be rough then…"

Her frown deepened as he let the words hang teasingly in the air and suddenly, she felt exhausted. She wasn't in the mood to really deal with the raccoon's antics—she wanted a blanket, food, and more sleep and in that order, too. "Sly, will you please just go and get that blanket. I _am_ feeling chilly."

All mirth vanished from his eyes as he took a closer look at her, his gaze traveling from her face to the Ace bandage wrapped around her side that peaked through her rising top, to her curled tail that was wrapped around her injured leg. Without warning, he brushed his fingers against her cheek which aroused a slight tinge of red to her cheeks before he touched her forehead. His palm felt nice and warm and she sighed, leaning into his touch involuntarily.

"Hey, Bentley," Sly called, removing his paw to head back down the hall for her blanket, she presumed. "Do we have a thermometer?"

The turtle poked his head around the corner, a quizzical look crossing his features. "I believe so, why?"

She heard the master thief rummaging around in her bedroom and it wasn't until she could make out his quiet steps coming back down the hall that he replied, "Jazlyn feels a little warm. Have you had your antibiotic today yet?"

It was Bentley's turn to dig around in the kitchen as she told Sly the same thing she'd said to the turtle: She just woke up a few minutes ago. She needed food in her stomach before she could take any of her medicine, but what worried her was the fact after just leaving the hospital, her immune system was already failing her. The snow leopardess definitely didn't need this right now—not when her body still has all this healing to do. Sly wrapped her in the blanket, tucking her in like a tiny cub, and moving away to head into the kitchen with Bentley.

Jazlyn snuggled into the warmth enveloping her chilly bones and closed her eyes. Sly was telling Bentley that staying up so late last night was probably too taxing on her right now, but she wouldn't get anything done if she just went to bed early. Even though she wouldn't be joining anyone in the field for a while yet, she could still help here. But, she could understand what Sly was hinting at—Jazlyn had pushed herself a little too hard and maybe she should've gone to bed after finishing her pizza instead of waiting for the raccoon to come back. Oh well. Hopefully, the medicine Dr. Lutrin had prescribed to her in case she got sick would fight off the fever.

Both the turtle and raccoon returned from the kitchen, Sly carrying her Ziplock bag of medication and a thermometer while Bentley had two plates with three slices of pizza each. As they set their burdens down on the table, Sly found the prescription bottles she needed while Bentley handed her a plate of pizza and a glass of water. Before dealing her the pills, Sly stuck the thermometer in her mouth and waited a minute, watching intently as the numbers rose until it stopped: 38.6 degrees Celsius (101.5 degrees Fahrenheit). The tension in the room eased at the results—she only had a mild fever, thank goodness, but both males told her that she was to take it easy from now on.

She took the pills that Sly poured into her palm and she knocked them all back before diving into her late breakfast. The raccoon disappeared into the kitchen once more while Bentley looked over the documents with her notes again as he chewed, and Jazlyn tried to slow herself down as she ate but it just wasn't happening. She needed food to get better and it was only natural that she'd eat like a ravenous predator. It didn't go without saying that almost immediately after finishing her last slice, Jazlyn placed both the glass and paper plate on the floor to be thrown away later and promptly napped, basking in the sunlight.

It wasn't until the sun was setting along the horizon that she woke up again, feeling much more refreshed than she had hours before. Her eyes peered around the dim room, the only light coming from Bentley's laptop as he finished typing who knew what at this point, the projector, and a lamp set on the other end of the couch. She rubbed her eyes and released a guttural yawn as she stretched carefully, feeling each stitch and stiff muscle as her toes curled at the relief of tension.

"Ah, Sleeping Beauty is awake, guys!" Sly grinned from the table, having noticed her first and watched her as she glared blearily at him.

The grogginess from her nap was still ever present, but she could make out Murray on the other side of Sly devouring what looked like a giant sandwich. Bentley stopped what he was doing to tell her 'good morning' before he grabbed a remote for the projector and started a slide. Jazlyn sat up on the couch, curiosity at what the turtle had come up with and if she'd helped at all.

"Just in time, Jazlyn." Bentley pushed another button and a picture of a very unique painting that she couldn't even begin to describe as she blinked wordlessly. It looked like a badly rendition of Edvard Munch's _The Scream_ and she had a hard time turning her attention back to the tiny turtle as he explained, "Sly, you need to steal this painting so I can attach a bug in the corner of the frame and bug Dimitri's office. With Jazlyn's help, we might overhear security formations, shift changes, and maybe eavesdrop on one of his meetings. There's no telling who Dimitri will be meeting with as his personal schedule doesn't say, but with luck, we may uncover more information on the other members of the Klaww Gang."

He switched slides to the interior of Dimitri's nightclub's dancefloor and circled the giant mirror ball hanging high above the floor. "Since Constable Neyla gave Sly the back entrance to the club's dancefloor, I'll use it to enter and destroy that disco ball." At the skeptical looks on Sly's and Murray's faces, the turtle huffed and indicated the snow leopardess with a hand. "Jazlyn and I both agree that the impact of the mirror ball will loosen the moorings holding the peacock sign in place." He switched to another slide with the sign and marked on the picture again. Arrows pointed down toward the water fountain at the front of nightclub. "Trust me, everything will fall into place."

Jazlyn covered her mouth with her hand, trying to keep the snicker from escaping at the unintentional pun. She was elated that her ideas had actually been useful, and Bentley had even _agreed_ with her! She didn't bother to keep the grin from her face as she winked at Sly from her position on the couch.

"I never would've thought the Ghost of Paris would come up with plans that didn't involve _stealth_." Sly stood up and stretched his arms over his head. Bentley was putting the projector away and returned to his computer to set up a waypoint for the painting the raccoon would have to steal.

Jazlyn shrugged, "I was just brainstorming ideas—besides that gaudy sign needs to come down. I think that lizard could get arrested on his own for his sense of style."

The master thief chuckled as he made his way over to the sofa and with little warning, placed his palm against her cheek. Her eyes widened at the action and she could feel heat rushing to her cheeks as his fingers tickled her fur. Beneath the amusement and mischief, she saw the relief in his eyes at her fever having settled down. With rapture, she watched from her peripheral as he moved his hand away, the slight brush of his fingers caressing her fur, and the way his lips twitched into a smirk as he took in her surprise and the rouge staining her face. Thankfully, he didn't have time to comment on her reaction or the fact that she stopped breathing during the entire interaction due to Bentley telling Sly to head out.

When he closed the door shut behind him, Jazlyn released a quiet sigh and concentrated on lowering her heart rate. Her injuries ached and each deep breath felt like a knife stabbing her side, but it distracted her from what just happened. She _knew_ Sly was a playboy, a flirt, and a lady's man—she _knew_ better than to let him get her all riled up or to fall for his remarks, but there was just something _different_ about him. No matter how many times she argued with herself—told herself that she'd only get hurt if she let the relationship between Sly and her go further than friendship, she continued to let his actions rule over her body's reactions. It distracted her, kept her unbalanced, and yet it also added a sense of mystery, wonder, and filled her with _yearning_ every time he did something like this.

Jazlyn wasn't a meek kitten who'd shrink and run away at a moment's notice when someone did anything to her—not anymore. Determination flowed through her limbs as she decided that two could play at this game—she wasn't going to let him control her or run anymore.

 **~o~**

"Okay, Bentley," Jazlyn said into the headset, looking over the floor plans and security for the discothèque, "There're two laser gates with codes that'll turn them off. I have the ones listed here on the security information file, and unless they've recently changed them, you should be able to use the code to get through them."

"Or," Sly leaned his head closer to the mic so Bentley could hear him better, "if that doesn't work, you can always blow it up."

She rolled her eyes at the raccoon, who was sitting next to her on the sofa and watched her laptop screen. Bentley had helped her hack into the security cameras for the club's dancefloor and she activated an earlier recording, so Dimitri's hired guns wouldn't know it was the turtle who'd destroy the mirror ball. She had that recording minimized so Sly and the snow leopardess could watch Bentley in action.

They both could tell that the turtle was a near nervous wreck as he fidgeted near the first gate, typing in the code she'd told him. Her brows furrowed in concern. "Murray is nearby in case you need any help, Bentley, and we're here too, so just try to relax."

" _I'm fine…Fine. I just need to get into the discothèque and destroy the brackets holding the mirror ball in place."_ He shook himself and resolve filtered through his voice, overlapping with the still very apparent fear. _"Look, I can't talk right now. I need to keep moving—keep safe."_

"Alright," Jazlyn said, sharing a look with Sly who shrugged and mouthed, "He'll be fine." She told him the next code for the final laser activated gate, and once he was through the final hurdle, she added, "You should only see two of Dimitri's heavy set guards. Once you take them out, you're in the clear. Sly and I will watch from here."

There was a pause on the turtle's end and Jazlyn was about to hand Sly the headset as per the plan Bentley had told them while he was doing his mission, when he said, _"Thanks."_

Before she could even reply, he turned his com off and proceeded with his job. Jazlyn wordlessly handed Sly the headset while she blinked like a total fool. She wouldn't dare say that she was making big steps toward Bentley trusting her, but there was no stopping the excitement at his gratitude toward her contributions. The grin was starting to pull the corners of her lips up and try as she might, she couldn't stop it from spreading across her face. Sly gave her a questioning glance but chose not to comment as they watched her computer screen and Bentley's progress.

Already, the brains of the Cooper gang had taken out one of the guards patrolling and proceeded to blow up the mirror ball's support beams. He operated efficiently and quickly, unlike Sly who tended to joke around while he worked and Murray who charged ahead with little care toward stealth. She herself moved like a ghost floating through the air, but there were always times when her plans didn't go accordingly, and she had to improvise on the fly. Whenever she improvised in the middle of a mission, she still got flustered and tended to make mistakes—mistakes that often cost her.

She shook herself, she wasn't going to go down that road. Everything she'd done up until this point was to survive and she didn't regret anything the teenager had to do in order to live. Jazlyn took a deep breath and focused on the turtle who was heading for the last three braces.

" _What's this crazy fireworks going off nearby?"_ The radio for Dimitri's bugged painting in his office suddenly screeched to life, making both Sly and Jazlyn jump. _"Go investigate, my piggy dude!"_

Sly cursed under his breath and Jazlyn dragged the security formations for investigations of possible break-ins, shoving her laptop at the raccoon who activated coms again. "Bentley, Dimitri's in his office and he just ordered a few of the guards to check out what was going on."

" _I have one more support beam and I can get out of here."_ As he said it, the turtle was already placing his bombs.

Jazlyn read through the procedures then turned her attention back to the floorplans and found that there was a secret exit in case Dimitri needed to leave quickly. She tapped Sly's shoulder impatiently as the warthog guards began to appear at the front of club's backdoor. "Hand me the headset, I found a way out for him."

Sly didn't question her, didn't doubt her at all as he handed her the mic, and put all of his trust in saving Bentley from being caught in her paws. The snow leopardess began to speak rapidly, "Look, Bentley, as soon as you destroy that last support, you need to hightail it to the bottom floor. Behind the DJ's setup, there's a hidden door and you'll need to push a faux diamond dial. It'll open up and lead down a single tunnel that _should_ take you to wharf."

" _Are you sure?"_ His voice quivered as the reality of how close he was to being caught settled over him _and_ that he'd have to trust her to get him out. Poor guy wasn't used to this field work but, like Sly, he was determined to help rid the world of Clockwerk and would risk his life to help his friend no matter what. She respected the turtle for his courage and bravery, but she really didn't want him to get hurt if she could help it.

"Yes. Take a deep breath, calm your nerves, and set off the final bomb. I'll reactivate the laser gates and that'll slow down the guards," she began to type a series of commands on her laptop, not even looking up as she continued, "That'll buy you enough time to run down and escape. I can send Murray out to where you'll exit, and you can come back together. You can do this, Bentley."

Sly's breath tickled her ear as he added, "You got this, pal."

" _Okay, I'm setting off the bombs…now!"_ There was a crackle through the speakers as they picked up the explosion, then, a large tremor shook the entire house and Jazlyn scrambled to keep from falling off the couch.

Sly reached out, steadying her against his side as the chairs clattered to the ground and Bentley's precious equipment slid dangerously close to the edge of the table. They could hear pans and cabinets trembling and falling in the kitchen. When the miniature earthquake finally receded, the raccoon met her still astonished gaze at the force of impact the disco ball caused an earthquake. "Bentley, we could feel the impact from all the way over here!"

There was a wheezing gasp on the other end as a reply and Jazlyn checked the cameras for the club to see that the warthog guards had made it inside, but she couldn't see the green turtle anywhere. She closed her eyes in relief, exhausted and relieved that the little guy had made it out.

"Comfortable?"

She nearly jumped again as Sly's voice purred into her ear and sent a shiver running along her spine. Her head turned to glance at his smirking face, their noses brushed, and she refused to give in to his flirtatious ways again. Instead, she shifted in his arms and brought them even closer together, their breaths mingled, and the slight widening of his eyes was the only other response to her maneuvering. Jazlyn's tail brushed tantalizing down the raccoon's leg, her darkening green eyes never leaving his as she brought one hand slowly up from her lap. Sly's eyes were glued to that hand as it came closer to him and her own lips pulled into a confident smile despite the way her heart hammered in her chest. The dark fur from his cheek was soft and warm as her fingers caressed it gently, her grin widened as his eyes fluttered close against his will.

 _Oh, how easy the tables have turned,_ the snow leopardess mused in amusement. Jazlyn suddenly moved her hand away, much to his disappointment if his eyes flashing open and staring at her was any indication, and she turned back to her laptop. Her tail brushed down the side of his leg, making his pantleg rise slightly, one more time before she put some distance between them.

The air in the living room was tense, waiting for one of them to break from this sudden built-up sexual tension, and that's exactly what it was. Sly was a very attractive male with a silver tongue that was more than capable of making females fall at his feet willingly. He wasn't overly buff, but his lean muscles from years spent training, stealing, climbing, and running from the cops had toned his body. She'd be an idiot if she _didn't_ find him physically attractive, and while she knew she wasn't exactly bad looking either, the old Jazlyn was shrieking in embarrassment from her actions. Whatever the case, what was done was done and she was starting to enjoy this impromptu game they created.

Besides, she wasn't one to give in easily no matter how sexy or charming the male beside her was.

"Murray, I just sent a waypoint to where you'll be meeting Bentley." Jazlyn started backing her way out of the security system for the nightclub, clearing any sign that she'd forced her way in through the firewalls like Bentley showed her. She was already a pretty decent hacker, but she was nowhere near as good as the turtle and Jazlyn loved learning more, especially if it would make her better. "It'll take him about five minutes to make it to the end, and I don't know if the guards will search the tunnel, but just in case, both of you need to hightail it back to the safehouse."

" _Roger that, Jazlyn! The Murray will make sure his little buddy returns safely,"_ the pink hippo laughed as he cut the connection.

She shook her head, smiling. He was such a little kid sometimes, but that just added to his adorableness as far as the snow leopardess was concerned. Jazlyn finished closing the last of the terminals she had used to break past the firewalls and successfully, severed the connection from her laptop. The last thing they needed was for Dimitri to figure out where they were by following the I.P. address she'd used to hack into his systems. She leaned back against the sofa, stretching her body carefully and sighed as her back popped in several places at once.

"Not bad for your first time working with a team, Spots." She glanced at Sly as he stood up and began to clean up the mess that they made and from the mirror ball's impact. He wasn't going to bring up her change in behavior or the fact that she actively teased him like he'd done numerous times with her.

Shrugging, Jazlyn began reorganizing the files she'd shuffled through after desperately looking for a way to keep the turtle in one piece. "I have worked in a group before, just not nearly as much as you have."

"Oh? When?" Curiosity laced through his words and he stopped cleaning up to watch her with his undivided attention.

Her eyes remained on the files in front of her as she replied, "The stolen paintings and other artifacts I had at the warehouse? Most of them I'd taken so I could sell it to the highest bidder on ThiefNet, but there were a lot that I was hired to take by local gangs and mafias from other countries." She could sense his astonished look and before he could comment about how dangerous or stupid that was, she continued on, "I was desperate to survive, Cooper. I didn't have friends who were willing to help me like Bentley or Murray, and I didn't dare bring Ms. Fowle into this because she has kids and I wasn't going to endanger any of them. I made it out to the gangbangers and mafia grunts that I was alone, and as a result, I made sure none of them knew that I wasn't just a hired thief loyal to just them."

"So that's why you were so alert in the café we met at that first time."

She snorted, "I've had hitmen after me, so I wasn't exactly surprised that black panther was there. Granted, I'm lucky I even survived that one…" Her injuries all at once gave a sharp twinge in agreement and she resumed putting the files away.

Sly sensed her sudden discomfort and changed the subject. "Who did you work with? Other mobsters?"

"No," she placed the stacks of paper on the table beside her, "I refused to let any of them work with me most of the time, much to their chagrin. The men they always wanted to pair me with were too slow and couldn't be quiet to save their lives."

He raised an eyebrow and grinned. "Probably another reason why they wanted you dead."

"You'd think, but not really," Jazlyn said, "Mainly, they wanted me dead because what I took for them, I was giving to someone else, and there was this one time where I punched the son of the Caprio's head in the nose for trying to come onto me."

Though his jaw dropped to the floor as he gawked at her, she could see behind the surprise in his dark eyes that there was approval and anger. When he found his voice again, he said over her laughter, "You really wanted to get yourself killed, huh?"

"I don't let anyone walk all over me. Not anymore," she frowned, brows furrowing together a moment before shaking her head. "Anyway, totally worth it. Even though the whole Caprio family was pissed at me, I earned a lot respect from his family's rivals and other gangs."

Sly just stared, not exactly sure what he should say, and Jazlyn laughed at him. "That's why I was a little surprised Bentley said he couldn't find out anything about me. My personal life, sure, but the underworld stuff? Should've been simple."

"Infamous and famous are not the same thing, you know that, right?" He shook his head and turned to finish cleaning up.

She was about to answer when Murray crackled through the headphones again. _"Got 'im, Jazlyn. We're heading back now!"_

"Okay, good. Sly and I will be waiting." After Murray said an affirmative, she removed the headset and placed her laptop on the table, too.

Jazlyn sighed, closing her eyes and just trying to relax for a few minutes. Knowing Bentley, he'll want to move on to the next set of plans as soon as possible, but she wasn't sure if they should strike after Bentley destroyed the mirror ball. She tilted her head, a sudden thought coming to her. "Sly?"

He looked up from setting up the projector—apparently, spending nearly three years with the turtle, he knew what his friend would want to happen next. "What?"

"Can you hand me the stack that has the lizard's schedule?"

"Yeah," Puzzled, Sly grabbed what she'd asked and handed it to her, "Why, though?"

She didn't answer immediately, searching for today's date and reading through his to-do list until she saw the meeting scheduled for tonight. She checked the time—almost 2 a.m. "Sly, help me to the table. Dimitri's about to make a call."

Without another word, he took her hand and steadied her against his side as the radio spurred to life again. They exchanged glances to each other, listening and hoping they'd hear something good.

" _Yo, Bengal King. How's the heat?"_ Dimitri's voice filtered through the room as Sly and Jazlyn settled into their seats. She grabbed Bentley's computer and began to type a transcript, her ears flicking to the radio as she concentrated.

" _I have heard news of the trouble you are currently facing, Dimitri. Can the Klaww Gang trust that you will ensure our dealings of spice continue?"_ The voice was deep, a near growl, with hints of an accent she couldn't place. If Dimitri's slang speech and overuse of nicknames was true to word, then this was not only a member of the Klaww Gang but a Bengal tiger.

She made note of this and zeroed in on Dimitri's response, which was stupid and confusing to understand because of his lackluster attempts to be cool. He was assuring the tiger that everything would go according to plan if it wasn't for "a crazy raccoon and friends messing with my house." She rolled her eyes.

" _Then have Slicer take care of them. We cannot allow the police or Interpol to arrest you and foil our plans."_

" _That panther dude did diddly squat. Came back all bloody and bruised."_

Jazlyn stopped breathing—her fingers continued to type by some miracle as her mind threatened to halt altogether. Fear filled her icy veins, and she could see his face, snarling, with his eyes filled bloodlust as he towered over her. That night came rushing back to the forefront of her mind—against her will she could see and feel and hear everything he'd done to her. She'd told herself that she was fine—that the events of that night wouldn't affect her, but how wrong she was. Out of all the times she'd been attacked and nearly killed, this one was staying with her longer than any of the others.

The main point to all of this, she concluded through her panic, was that her attacker was a part of the Klaww Gang and probably one of their enforcers. If he mentioned her to Dimitri—if he told any of the other members, she was as good as dead and free game. Her fingers began to cramp, her ears refused to pick up sound, and her lungs were begging for air, when she felt Sly's hand grasp her paw. He squeezed them, giving her a life preserver in a torrent sea of fear, panic, and the overwhelming realization that she would have a bounty on her head.

"Jazlyn," Sly tightened his hand over hers until she looked at him, "you're not in this alone. Take a deep breath."

She finally gasped for air and squeezed her eyes shut. They still needed to record what was happening for Bentley and she wasn't going to let her fear override her. Sly was right, she wasn't alone in this, and she would get through this. "What else did they say?"

He watched her face try to contort into a semblance of calm for a moment before answering. "Dimitri was explaining that this Slicer guy isn't doing anything other than lying on his ass and the tiger told him to get his ass in gear and do what needs to be done."

Sly paused as the lizard asked, _"Spice operation still going, Bengal King?"_

" _Spice manufacturing has risen to an all-time high, and soon, there will be spice on all parts of the world. What we don't need right now is for you to screw up and have the tail feathers stolen. Get rid of the raccoon and his team of nuisances. Rajan out."_

Jazlyn kept typing even after Dimitri's rambled through the radio's speakers about how Sly was causing him trouble and he'd gotten scolded. Basically, acting like a little spoiled brat who got reprimanded for the first time ever. She ignored his cursing and focused on the task at hand—her mind was still a jumbled mess, but Sly's presence made it easier for her to remain calm.

The final word of her notes stared at her through the Word doc as Bentley and Murray entered the safehouse. For having such a wild night, the turtle didn't look too bad except for the gunpowder residue that stained his shirt and mud caking his shoes. Murray was absolutely chipper as he walked in, telling them how he and Bentley dodged guards the whole way here and how "awesome" it was when the mirror ball fell. Jazlyn slowly relaxed, listening to the hippo recount his version of Bentley's mission. She shared a glance with Sly, his eyes watching her carefully, and she dipped her head at him, to show that she'd be alright.

"What happened here?" Bentley asked in-between Murray's sentences as he continued to rave about how the mirror ball falling and creating a mini-earthquake was too cool.

She sighed, rubbing her face and waved her hand at the computer screen. When she didn't elaborate, Sly jumped in, "While you two were returning from the wharf, Spots realized that Dimitri was scheduled to talk with someone tonight. Lucky for us, we caught everything they talked about, and Spots made a transcript along with some notes for you to look through later. Sounds like the call came from another Klaww Gang member checking in on Dimitri." He paused, looking at Jazlyn's tired face, suddenly unsure if he should wait for her to go to bed or just say it.

He didn't have time to decide as Jazlyn met Bentley's stare with a weary acceptance. "The panther who attacked me? I was right, he's a member of the Klaww Gang and sounds like his position is an enforcer, of sorts. His codename is Slicer and according to Dimitri, he's still licking his wounds and hasn't moved since returning from that night."

Jazlyn was too mentally tired to really pay attention to the look the turtle sent over her head to Sly. Before he could open his mouth, she interrupted him, "I'm tired, and unless you need me, I'm going to call it a night."

Bentley debated a moment, holding his chin in thought. Finally: "You need to hear the game plan for our heist tomorrow night, then you can get some rest."

She nodded and waited as Bentley prepared the slides for the projector. Sly's fingers reached for her hand and when she didn't snatch away from him, he intertwined their fingers together and squeezed. The snow leopardess met his worried stare and mouthed, "I'll be fine."

He didn't let go of her hand, offering her a support even though she was embarrassed for acting like this after just hearing the panther's moniker. She felt like an idiot, but there was nothing to stop a traumatic experience from rearing its ugly head, no matter how strong she was. Just thinking about it made her healing wounds ache and sting, and she had to focus to keep her breathing calm. Bentley had to know there was something going on with her, but he and Sly could talk about it without her in the room. She didn't want their pity, she just needs someone to keep her from drowning.

"Alright, Operation Thunder Beak will commence tomorrow night. First," he began, changing the slides to the old water tower, "Murray will help me get into the water tower where I will reroute the water flow to turn off the water supply for the plaza fountain. Sly, Dimitri will send a repairman out to fix it, you'll need to pickpocket the keys to his repair truck." Another slide, of the repair truck fitted with a crane appeared, and he continued. "Murray will then drive it to the plaza while you climb up the peacock sign to attach the crane's hook. Once in place, Murray will use the truck to bring the sign crashing down. You'll need to jump through the opening, Sly, and retrieve the Clockwerk tail feathers, and then we can get out of here."

Bentley then turned his attention to Jazlyn. "Meanwhile, Jazlyn will wait in the getaway van with the rest of our belongings. It will be the safest and best place for you to be while we complete the heist."

She nodded in understanding and pulled her hand from Sly's, "I don't want to get in your guys' way. It's not like I can really fend for myself at this point."

"Okay, we'll pack everything into the van tonight." The turtle turned a stern stare her way then, and she was taken aback by it, immediately wondering what she'd done to make him suddenly pissed at her. "You need to get some sleep and sitting here worrying about that panther isn't going to make you any better."

Blinking, Jazlyn slowly agreed as she rose from the chair as Sly handed her a crutch, knowing full well that Bentley wouldn't allow him to skip packing. "I'm going, I'm going."

As she hobbled out of the room and down the hall, the teenager decided that the turtle was a blessing in disguise.


	8. Resort Relaxation

**So, I realized the other day that I forget to update! I'm so sorry that I didn't give y'all the next chapter last week like I should have. The first part of June and this past week have been really busy and hell as I'm currently taking an online course. Luckily for y'all and me, I have this Sunday and my final paper then I'm finished. Which means: More chapters and less time spent on schoolwork! Yay!**

 **Since I'll be done by Tuesday and I missed last week's update, I'll be updating again this upcoming Friday!**

 **And, with that, I'll let y'all read this week's chapter! Enjoy!**

 **~Delyth**

* * *

 _Chapter Seven_

 _Resort Relaxation_

Jazlyn stared at the interior of the van, noting the front seats and the stick gear-shift, the single bolted down and _turtle-sized_ chair in the back where she was currently in. Murray had made a pallet out of more pillows and blankets for her to lie on in the back, and even though it wasn't the most comfortable, she was thankful for his foresight. She snuggled into the pillows and continued to stare at the boxes stacked and labeled neatly on one side of the van while the other had been turned into an on-the-road computer station. There was a miniature desk for the computer (all of which was bolted down) and she had nearly lost it when she saw the massive battery Bentley created for the sake of powering the PC. Just where did he find the time or parts to make that thing?

She shook her head and listened for any signs of movement outside. The Cooper van was still parked in the safehouse's built-in garage, and after reassuring both Murray and Sly that she'd be alright by herself for a couple of hours, she was left alone. She could barely make out the sounds of fighting outside and she could've sworn she'd heard Murray yelling in excitement about something that quickly followed another earth-shaking boom. If only she could've seen that ugly sign come crumbling down… Oh well.

It wasn't too long after that she could hear Bentley's gasping breaths and Murray's heavy steps coming that the two climbed into the van. The hippo was grinning from ear-to-ear as he relayed what had happened to Jazlyn who smiled at his antics. He pulled the van out of the safehouse expertly, and if it wasn't for her being squeeze between the desk and the front seats, she would've slid across the floor. Thankfully, she only succeeded in jarring her ribs and bumping her head against the desk. All the while, Murray was still in the middle of his story about how Sly had to fight off several of Dimitri's lackeys to protect the repair truck while the hippo worked to pull down the sign. Under all that built-up enthusiasm, Bentley was calmly informing Sly what to look out for, using her notes on the security.

"Have you made it to the printing press room, Sly?" Bentley asked, not paying any attention to Murray as he drove like a bat out of Hell through downtown Paris. He was leading Dimitri's men on a wild goose chase and making sure they were too distracted to head to the printing press room.

Jazlyn strained to hear the ringtail's reply. _"We've got a bit of a problem, pal."_

She frowned, watching the turtle's expression turn into confusion as he asked for clarification.

" _Well, Dimitri's down here."_ There was chattering from the other end, words that she could barely make out from the sudden static as Sly moved.

"Sly?" Bentley asked, waiting for a tense moment for his friend to reply as he shared a glance with the hippo. "Sly?"

Her eyes closed as she tried to hear any sound coming from the headphones Bentley had donned the minute he entered the van. All she could make out was the rushing of wind and static followed by grunts and cursing. Stating the obvious, Jazlyn told them, "He's probably fighting the lizard. Would've been inevitable, Bentley. I'm sure Sly will be okay."

The turtle didn't reply as he continued to wait for Sly's response and Murray drove in a series of turns and circles that she quickly became confused as to where they were anymore. After twenty minutes' worth of silence, Sly's winded voice finally came through, _"Gonna need a pickup, Bentley. I've got the tail feathers, and this is just a guess here, but the police are on their way."_

Murray turned down an alleyway and raced down it like the speed demon he was. She didn't care how they got to the raccoon now as the pink hippo maneuvered through the Parisian streets with ease. It wasn't until she could hear the sirens slicing through the night air that she began to feel nervous. Being near police period made her anxious and while she trusted Murray's ability to shake off the officials, Jazlyn wouldn't relax until they were out of Paris and _far away._

Something landed on the roof of the van, causing her to flinch, and she sighed when Sly expertly opened the back doors and slid inside with the Clockwerk tail feathers. He set each huge down feather on the floor and gracefully made his way over to her with a wild grin on his face. "Now _that_ was fun."

"What a shame that I missed all the fun, then," Jazlyn said, rolling her eyes as she watched him settle next to her in the back.

He leaned over the seats and started teasing Bentley for worrying so much to which the turtle gladly quipped back without missing a beat. She watched their interaction, an outsider looking in, and felt an ache stir in her chest again. They truly were closer than friends—a ragtag team of brothers who'd go to the ends of the earth to help one another. Their bond knew no bounds and the longer she watched, the more of an outsider she felt, and she suddenly wished that they had left her in Paris instead of taking her with them.

She shook herself. Of course, she was going to feel like she was intruding on their moment, those three had been friends since they were kids. They grew up together, cried together, fought together, and bled together. Even as they laughed about something Murray had said, enjoying the victory of another successful heist, Jazlyn couldn't keep the smile from her face. Watching them was becoming more of a pastime the longer she remained with them. She hadn't seen anyone act the way they did since middle school, but it was refreshing to see that no matter how old mammals got, a friendship as strong as the Cooper gang's would never change.

"Carmelita and Neyla arrived to shut down Dimitri's club just as I made it out of the printing press room." Sly was saying, explaining what had happened right before Murray came with the van for the ringtail's escape. "Apparently, they received an anonymous tip that the lizard was selling spice in his club and forging money. I wonder who set that up, hmm?" Bentley didn't say a word to that bit and Sly shared a look with her, another smirk playing on his lips.

"So, Interpol caught Dimitri, but failed to catch you, huh? What a shame." Jazlyn chuckled at the raccoon's hurt face before he, too, laughed.

"Making Carmelita angry is a pastime of his, Jazlyn," Murray piped up, still driving as fast as he pleased through the streets leading out of Paris. She didn't know where they were heading, but at this point, she didn't really mind where they went to. All that mattered was that she was finally leaving the City of Love after nearly three full years being stuck there.

She eyed Sly out the corner of her eye, flashing her fangs in a grin. "Somehow, I wouldn't put that past him."

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Sly was watching her now, his brown eyes sparkled with mischief and laughter. He looked high off the adrenaline from the heist and escaping the cops—something she completely understood as a fellow thief.

Jazlyn raised her chin, staring defiantly into his teasing gaze. "Considering how you like to mouth off and flirt every chance you get, it's a wonder that vixen hasn't caught you yet."

Before Sly could retort, Bentley added, "Well, she did almost catch him after defeating Clockwerk."

She raised an eyebrow, having noticed how the raccoon immediately tensed and looked guilty all the same. "Oh? How he'd escape that one?"

His reaction was becoming funnier and funnier with every passing second as he mimed to Bentley to drop it, but the turtle either didn't see the signal or didn't care. "Carmelita gave him a ten second head start, but instead of taking it, he—"

"I cuffed her to the railing that we were on," Sly interrupted, raising his voice to drown out whatever it was Bentley was trying to say.

The master thief was flustered enough that he was willing to lose all common sense over something that he didn't want her to know. She narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously, taking notice at how the slight scent of sweat wafted into her nostrils, and the nervous smile he shot her didn't turn her off from figuring out what was wrong with him.

"What's the matter, Cooper?" Her tail wrapped around his ankle and slowly moved up his calf. Sly kept his face from showing just how uncomfortable he was from his friends, but she noticed his eyes heated and the slight shudder that wracked his body. "Why're you so nervous?"

He opened and closed his mouth, trying to form some kind of excuse for whatever it was he did. Her lips pulled into a wolfish grin, and she turned her attention away from him to ask the turtle, "So, what were you saying, Bentley? I didn't hear what you said."

Bentley glanced between the snow leopardess and his friend with a curious look before answering slowly, "He kissed Carmelita to distract her long enough to handcuff her to the railing. Then he met up with us."

So, he made out with the fox that was determined to arrest him for his crimes and was rather obsessed with his case? She was surprised the vixen didn't shoot him after that, but then again, Sly was a rather charming male who could persuade anyone with his honeyed words and smooth voice. What she didn't exactly understand was the fact that he'd been so determined to keep her from knowing about it. What did it matter if he smooched a lady cop? It wasn't like they were going out and he didn't owe her any kind of explanation for his actions. Yes, Jazlyn found him extremely attractive, but she couldn't say that what she felt for him was anything more than physical attraction, respect, and gratitude for everything he and his friends have done for her.

There wasn't a point for his overreaction with this bit of history between him and that vixen. She stared at him in exasperation and released his calf from her exploring tail. "Really? That's it? Wow, Sly, you really know no bounds, huh?"

He blinked, taken aback by her laidback attitude. "What?"

This time she didn't bother holding in her laughter, taking great pleasure at his confusion and uncertainty as he stared at her. "Look, Sly, what does it matter if you like Carmelita or whatever her name is. Kudos to you for having the balls to even _kiss_ an Interpol agent in the first place." She gave him a teasing round of applause, still giggling at his expense and ignoring her smarting ribs.

Murray, having seen Sly's slack jaw from the rearview mirror, guffawed loudly. "I haven't seen him tongue-tied since…" He scratched his chin in thought for a long time before giving up and continuing, "Well, never."

Jazlyn grinned, watching as Sly's cheeks darkened in embarrassment. She was suddenly very glad that she stuck around for this—especially, if it meant making the master thief squirm.

 **~o~**

So, what was it that a gang of thieves do after pulling off a heist? Go to a casino hotel in Monaco, that's what.

After almost ten hours spent in a van full of metal feathers, boxes, a mini desk, herself, and Sly (and that's just in the back) Jazlyn was ready to call it a night. Her entire body ached from being bumped around in a van and the times she finally _did_ sleep, it was only cat nap worthy. Even with her meds keeping her drugged up and painkillers helping with the worse of the pain, she still couldn't sleep very well no matter what position she slept in. Through her restlessness, she would see Sly sleeping with little problem, his signature cap covering his eyes and hands behind his head. She was jealous at how easy it was for him to get some shuteye, and in the end, Jazlyn pulled out her laptop in the hopes of finding something to do.

When they finally arrived, she nearly danced for joy as Murray and Sly left the van to get them rooms while Bentley and herself remained in the car. She'd put away her laptop and closed her eyes briefly while they waited for the two to return. What she hadn't counted on was Sly shaking her awake a few minutes later and it took her a while to realize that she'd fallen asleep. He cracked a joke about her being the real-life Sleeping Beauty, and she didn't bother denying it since lately, Jazlyn spent most of her time napping the day away.

Murray and Sly had gotten them two rooms that had an adjoining door for the boys to keep an eye on her. She rolled her eyes at the thought but didn't object as he helped her out of the van and handed her the crutch. A few weeks spent here wouldn't be too bad for her, she thought, as Sly led her inside the hotel's lobby. Marble pillars held the tall ceilings up as voices and bells from the casino hall echoed as she stared at her new surroundings. The receptionist's desk was long and just as high priced as the rest of the hotel with granite counters polished so much that it reflected the hanging chandelier lights. Expensive rugs were situated in the sitting room, surrounded by stiff and not so comfortable looking chairs, sofas, and love seats. There was a grand staircase leading to the second floor that Sly led her pass in favor of the glass elevator, and she was thankful that she didn't have to try walking upstairs because she was already sore from the ride over here.

"Surprised?" Sly asked, watching her eying all the artwork the hotel had throughout the lobby and the glass chandeliers that were literally _everywhere_.

"More like I'm shocked this place loves to flaunt its money," she commented as they entered the elevator and the master thief pushed the button for the fifth floor.

He chuckled, watching her as they rose above the hotel's casino that was packed with mammals who were willing to bet away their riches. She never saw the appeal of betting coins away like it grew on trees and the mammals spending it could easily acquire some more. With how nicely everyone was dressed, she knew they could easily lose thousands of dollars without a care for the world.

As the elevator dinged and the doors opened, Jazlyn allowed Sly to support her as they followed the long corridor to the end where they would be staying. He pulled out a key card for her room and slid it into the slot before opening the door. What little belongings she had were already there beside the bed and the room itself had a standard flat screen TV attached to the cream-colored walls, two dressers, a desk with a chair, a sit-in area with a lamp, and a thermostat. She'd never seen a kitchenette off to the side of the door and when she ventured further into the room, she saw that the bathroom had a glass shower and a clawfoot tub with the same marble tile as the lobby.

Her eyes immediately landed on the empty bed with longing and while she knew she'd regret it later, Jazlyn plopped on the bed with a sigh. She ignored Sly's laughter as her eyes closed and she breathed in the lemon-scented detergent the hotel used. Her body eased into the mattress with relief as she curled onto her side and her tail wrapped around her injured ankle. Oh, she was going to sleep _so good_.

"Spots," she groaned as Sly nudged her shoulders. "You still need to eat something before getting some shuteye."

Mumbling, she pushed his hands away, "Later."

He laughed, grabbing one of her swatting hands. "C'mon, you and I both know you won't wanna get up later."

She knew she was acting childish, but she was tired and had enough of being awake for the day. What was wrong with skipping one meal? They'd stopped at a fast food place for an early breakfast, but that had been several hours ago, and her stomach was grumbling for some real food. But _sleep…_

"Jazlyn," his breath parted her hair and her lungs stopped accepting air for a brief second as his scent drifted into her nose. She could feel his fingers as they tangled in a strand of her white locks, lightly tugging on it before he wove his way to her scalp and began to massage it gently. A moan escaped her lips before she could stop it and even as her cheeks reddened at the sound she couldn't help but think how _damn good_ it felt.

More laughter at her own expense now as the roles reversed once again and she purred as his fingers pressed a little harder into her scalp. When she could finally find her voice again, she told him, "Not gonna make me get up now."

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong, mademoiselle." He removed his hand from her head and proceeded to chuckle as she whined. "If you'll get up I'll give you all the massages you want."

Damn him and his ability to manipulate her. She opened an eye to glare at him and held out her hand for him to pull her up. He smirked but didn't comment as Jazlyn grabbed her crutch and allowed him to steer her back toward the elevator.

"I hope you know, that you're not allowed to use that tactic." When Sly's grinned only widened, she punched his shoulder as hard as she could. "Don't even _think_ about it."

He held his hands up in surrender, smile still firmly in place, and they entered the elevator again. She closed her eyes, relying on her crutch to keep her from falling over. "Sly?"

"Yeah?"

"Where are we going? And why aren't Murray and Bentley here, too?" She lifted her head to give him another suspicious stare.

Without missing a beat, Sly replied, "They are currently in the casino—Bentley wanted to try his new counting cards trick, though, he used different words to describe it. Since you're not twenty-one yet, I volunteered to keep you company while the adults play."

Jazlyn smirked, a single brow raised, "You're not twenty-one either, huh?"

He kept silent, cheeks a little darker than normal, as the snow leopardess laughed. Huffing, Sly led her into the lobby and toward the doors, much to her surprise, as he had the valet call a taxi for them. She hoped he wasn't planning on taking her somewhere nice since she was only wearing leggings with a single sneaker as it was still painful to wear any kind of footwear on her healing ankle, and an oversized hoodie that swallowed her frame. The raccoon, on the other hand, was wearing a nice pair of jeans with a loose flannel shirt tied at his waist and a plain white shirt. He'd removed his dark blue mask (she didn't really understand why he bothered with it since he had a natural mask over his eyes anyway), but his blue cap was still firmly in place.

Biting her lip, she turned away from him and prayed he didn't notice the once over she gave him in normal clothes. Even though they'd met in a café in broad daylight back in Paris, she didn't really pay attention to his clothing choice. She'd been more intent on her surroundings and their conversation than his clothes, but now that she had, the snow leopardess was surprised. Sly was very aware of his body and he had a great sense of fashion as far as she could see—much better than her as she tended to lean toward comfortable clothes than high-end fashion. She would never admit this out loud, but _hot damn,_ his ass looked _fine_ in those jeans.

When the taxi arrived, Sly helped her in before rounding the car to get in on the other side. The taxi driver, a middle-aged German Shepherd male, greeted them with a soft smile on his wrinkled face. "Where would you like to go?"

Sly glanced at her briefly then replied, "The nearest IHOP, sir. We haven't had a decent breakfast today."

Jazlyn could barely keep her giggles in at his need to have an actual breakfast in the middle of the afternoon. By this point, she didn't really care what they ate for a late lunch/dinner as long as it was hot, warm, and delicious. Their driver was kind enough to tell them about the night life here, the beautiful sunsets along the coast, and a lot of different places where they could eat seafood. He asked general, not-so-personal questions as they drove in the afternoon traffic and even explained that driving people around was just something for him to do during the weekends. Jazlyn knew she couldn't handle driving different mammals around for hours on end without going crazy being stuck in a car all day long. She listened intently, nodding at a few places here and there, and piped in to ask a few questions of her own or to relate her own experiences on the current subject.

It was nice, having a normal conversation with another mammal. She missed the normalcy of life at times like these, but she wouldn't give up thieving for anything in the world no matter how many people looked down upon her.

Her eyes drifted from their driver to Sly and her heart stuttered in her chest as she locked eyes with him. Despite being caught staring, he didn't look away, his gaze intense as he took in her face. She didn't know what to do and try as she might, the canine's words began to drift away as she became sucked into the depths those brown eyes. His lips twitched and although, the crutch was in between them, he reached over and grasped her paw in his. She tried to will herself to move away, but he kept her spellbound.

"You two make a lovely couple," the cab driver said, a smile on his face as he glanced at them through the rearview mirror.

Jazlyn blushed to the tips of her ears and tried to pull her hand away from his, but Sly tightened his grip and pulled her closer while simultaneously moving the crutch to the other side of him. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and grinned. "Thank you, sir. We've been going out for a few weeks now."

She wanted to punch him but could only blush harder as the warmth of his fur settled into hers and his scent filled her nose. As much as she wanted to pull away from him, she decided that playing along for the sake of keeping their cover (honestly, though, she liked the way he felt and his scent) was more important, and she buried her face into the crook of his neck and shoulder. She breathed him in, relaxing into his side as she closed her eyes and simply let the moment take hold of her. The snow leopardess didn't care about how she wasn't supposed to fall for the raccoon's suave personality. Instead, Jazlyn just pretended that they were two ordinary mammals out on a date and not fugitives running from the law because of their life preferences.

Despite his cool appearance, Jazlyn could hear his heart rate pick up a little and his arm tensed around her shoulder before relaxing. Apparently, he wasn't all too sure that she'd actually go for this, but the snow leopardess was willing to make him squirm and pretend that she was normal for once. Leaning against him, her nose buried in his neck, and his arm around her shoulders, it felt right. That may have been wishful thinking or the result of her imagination running wild as they pretended for the driver that they were a new couple.

When they arrived at their destination, Sly paid the dog in cash and even gave him a tip for the pleasant talk on the way there. After thanking the German Shepherd again, Jazlyn made her way out of the car and she wobbled her way to IHOP's entrance with Sly holding onto her elbow to make sure she didn't end up falling. Like a gentleman, he opened the door for her with a slight bow and she laughed at his antics as they entered. She sat down in the nearest chair in the waiting area while Sly went to the hostess to ask when they'd be seated.

Since it was just the two of them, they were taken to their table within fifteen minutes. Their waitress was handling another table at the moment while Sly and Jazlyn perused the menu. She had her leg propped up on another chair and after deciding that chocolate pancakes sounded like heaven right now, the snow leopardess met Sly's eyes from across the table.

"I didn't expect you to follow along." His eyes were burning, as if she was staring straight into the sun.

Jazlyn met his stare unflinchingly, even though her stomach did a little flip at the way he was watching her, and raised a single brow. "Oh, I wanted to hit you. This is the second time you call me your girlfriend. You easily could've told him that we were friends, but you decide to give me a false identity as your girl. Do you do this for all the pretty females, or am I just special?"

The raccoon had enough control over his expression to keep from flinching at the jab toward his playboy persona, and she didn't care that he was a womanizer. They weren't dating, they were barely friends—more like allies at this point who find each other physically attractive and tease each other on a normal basis. If he was sensitive about the subject, then he could always stop, she just couldn't understand why it suddenly bothered him so much.

"I know how you are, Jazlyn." Her spine tingle as he said her real name, and every word that came out of his mouth were his genuine thoughts. She tilted her head, her ears flicking toward him to show he had her full attention. Sly continued, clearing his throat. "You don't trust easily, and I don't know if it's just because of your past in school or something else that you haven't shared with us. I get that, and I don't want to ruin whatever progress we made by offending you."

Before she could ask what he meant by that, their waitress walked up to their table and apologized for the wait. They gave their drink and food orders to her, and Jazlyn smiled at the frazzled female peacock. "It's okay, miss. My friend and I have nothing else to do. Take your time."

The girl fluffed her feathers and took a deep breath, her blue eyes filled with worry as she said, "Third day on the job and I'm still not completely used to it. Sorry, if I make any mistakes."

Sly shook his head. "No, no. Mistakes help you grow, but if you'd like, we could repeat our orders if you want to confirm them?"

She nodded in relief and Jazlyn felt bad that neither of them had bothered to slow down when saying their orders. After a few minutes going over what the young woman wrote down, she flounced away to the kitchen and left the snow leopardess and raccoon alone once again.

"What did you mean by not wanting to 'offend me'?" Jazlyn adjusted her leg on the chair, trying to keep the limb from falling asleep. She sighed and glanced at the raccoon again after casting a cursory look around the restaurant.

Again, the master thief concentrated on her face, watching intently for a change of expression or the tiniest twitch of her ears. She was beginning to wonder if he was trying to see into her soul as he held her gaze. Finally, he said, "You're not a very easy mammal to read at times, Jazlyn. It's hard to tell what you're really thinking, and it leaves me curious all the time. It's why I always tease you when we're alone or with the gang. You just seem…closed off from the world." He paused, leaning across the table until he was almost directly in her face. "You look lonely."

She didn't bother to deny what he said, everything that he just told her was the utter truth and like a slap in the face, it sent her reeling. Jazlyn turned away from that dark stare, wanting to avoid the truth like she always did, but Sly was having none of it as he grabbed her chin and pulled her head to look at him again. All of a sudden, she was transported back to junior high and high school where she was always alone. No friends to eat lunch with, to talk, to protect her, and to give her the strength to keep moving forward. She was the girl who always sat alone in the cafeteria, who had to fend for herself against bullies, and who had to deal with her own problems by herself. A girl who'd lost so much and continued to live in an endless cycle of pain and loneliness. In that moment, Sly had invoked all the terrible memories she had constantly fought to stay in the dark crevices of her mind. He saw everything pass over her face like a movie and the snow leopardess desperately wanted to pull away, because it was suddenly too personal for her.

Instead, she remained glued to her seat and howled in despair within her mind at the embarrassment and shame coursing through her as he _saw_ her. Her left hand clenched into a fist and she let it fly, wanting to break the spell and hide behind her walls again. Sly caught her punch with little effort and pulled it to the table, where he forced his fingers through her fist and squeezed. Despite her struggles, he remained firm and she wanted to scream at him to stop whatever it was he was doing to her— _demand_ that he get out of her head and let her memories stay in the dark where they belonged. Jazlyn expected to see so much judgement and pity in his gaze as he watched the fortress around her heart fall, but there was nothing except respect and patience.

The murmurs of the other customers faded away and she couldn't remember the layout of IHOP or why it mattered she memorize escape routes. All that was left, was their table, Sly's paw holding hers, and the onslaught of her past, but reliving it with him there, while completely exposing her soul to him, was comforting in a way. She couldn't fathom why that it was so easy to get through it all without bursting into tears, but after a few minutes her body unwound itself and relaxed into the chair. She felt like a ragdoll, completely limp and unwilling to move for the next century.

"I hate you," she mumbled as her fingers tightened against his.

Sly merely grinned back and leaned back against his seat, a little smug and triumphant that he'd…gotten a reaction out of her? She didn't know why he was downright cheerful while she was struggling to catch her breath, but for now, the snow leopardess just wanted her pancakes, bacon, and eggs.

 **~o~**

Jazlyn was still staring at the two bags IHOP had given them for the amount of food Sly had ordered for Bentley and Murray in slight awe. "Wouldn't they have eaten by now?"

After all, they'd been gone for about two hours and if Murray hadn't already had his meal yet, she'd be shocked. Sly chuckled, somehow able to support her as they made their way up the stairs to their hotel while also carrying two heavy bags worth of breakfast food. "You underestimate how often we eat, Spots. Murray probably ate some snacks from the bar and Bentley tends to forget that he needs to actually eat food like a normal mammal. They should be in the room by now."

She rolled her eyes and gave a small wave to the valet parking worker when he greeted them. They stepped into the lobby and loud chatter from the suddenly crowded hotel assaulted her ears. Even above the herd of mammals, she could still make out the bells of the slot machines from down the hall and she groaned in annoyance. "God, I hate casinos."

Sly glanced at her from the corner of his eye, mock surprise on his face. "You hate casinos? The best place to earn a good amount of coins?"

"A stupid way to _lose_ a bunch of coins if you're not Bentley," she corrected with a smirk, shoving her way through the throng of mammals with a huff and push of her crutch.

Yelping, Jazlyn stumbled a moment as someone stepped on her tail and she snarled, turning to give whoever it was a piece of her mind, but Sly shifted one of the bags to his other hand and practically dragged her away. Never in her life had she wanted to claw another female's face off before and the way the ritzy antelope had looked at her… She growled again at the thought and crossed her arms over her chest as they finally made it into the elevator. Luckily for them, they didn't have to deal with a full elevator as most of the hotel's guests were staying in the lobby for the most part. A few mammals had come in along with Sly and Jazlyn, but they didn't delve into small talk as they reached their floors one at a time.

When they made it to their floor, Jazlyn practically sped walked down the hall to their rooms with a laughing Sly following easily behind. His room was filled with guffawing from a hippo and mutterings from the turtle before Sly opened the cracked door with a push of his foot. Murray was sitting on one of the beds, playing to his heart's content on an Xbox she'd never seen before and beating Bentley in whatever racing game they were playing. The raccoon allowed her to enter first and settle on the second bed while he headed into the kitchenette that was off to the side and overlooked the beds and TV. He took out the Styrofoam containers with a grin on his face as he began to open them one at a time. The air smelled like pancakes, French toast, and waffles with bacon and eggs, wafting to both the turtle and hippo, both of whom stopped what they were doing and turned to the kitchen. Murray was the first to hop up and almost ran straight into the mini-bar that separated the kitchenette from the rest of the room. Bentley had enough sense of mind to pause the game before making his way toward the smell of food.

Jazlyn chuckled, "Okay, totally get why you wanted me to sit on the bed instead at the bar."

"See?" He pointed to Murray who had already found a plate and was stacking it with most of the food. "I just saved your life."

"Why thank you. I feel better not having to owe you another favor." Her eyes twinkled with laughter as she laid back on the bed and let her body relax. She was already tired when they arrived and desperately wanted to sleep now that Sly had forced her to eat, but first, she had to take meds once again.

Sighing, Jazlyn stood up and made her way to the adjoining door to her room. She barely had the mind to tell them that she was going to sleep for a while before shutting the door once again. Digging around in her overnight bag, she pulled out her meds and swallowed them dry. Her body begged that she let it sleep for the next three months and she couldn't agree more as she started to change. The snow leopardess removed her bra and tossed it to the side, relief coursing through her as she could finally breathe more comfortably. She kicked off her shoes and socks while limping over to the light switch and turned off the lights. When she finally slid under the sheets, her eyes closed in bliss and she was asleep before her head fully hit the pillow.

 **~o~**

Over the course of the next week, Jazlyn was slowly regaining strength in her foot and her ribs were beginning to heal faster. Resting as much as she could without having to worry about a panther or researching for Bentley, her bodily injuries were beginning to ache less and feel only stiff and sore from lack of use. When she was able to walk normally with an ankle brace, Jazlyn headed to the hotel's gym to slowly bring her body back into shape. She took it slow, stretching her muscles in her back, her sides, her legs, and her arms. Doing too much would cause her to lose her breath and she'd have to focus on breathing normally. Her left lung was still recovering and the most exercise she was capable of would be walking on the treadmill for fifteen minutes. Despite having to deal with a minor handicap, Jazlyn was determined to slowly increase her exercises until her stamina improved.

Working out meant waking up early in the morning and spending hours in the gym: stretching, walking, yoga, and slowly introducing new exercises as her endurance grew. Granted, she wouldn't be at full strength until her left lung had completely healed, but she was willing to push through the pain and bring her body back up to speed again.

When she finished her workout, she returned to her room to take a shower, a time filled with mild anxiety as she was always hesitant to look in the mirror as the scar marring her face glared back at her. The stitches Dr. Lutrin had used fell off once the wound itself closed completely, and while she had plenty of scars from different instances of violence, she'd never had one dominating most of her face. The fur hadn't grown back and probably never would as she reached up to touch the uneven surface—a constant reminder of what she survived but also the memory of Slicer who'd nearly killed her.

Her mood tended to plummet after seeing herself in the mirror, and even though she had three mammals to talk about this, she refused. She didn't want to always have to rely on them whenever there was a problem. There was no guarantee that she and the Cooper gang would always be together; after all, Sly did promise her that she could leave at any time. She wasn't obligated to see everything through the end like they were—this wasn't her mission to complete, but Jazlyn wasn't going to leave until she found Slicer and put him away for good. Until he was imprisoned, there was nothing that would keep him from coming after her again—especially if he knew how much more compromising information she had on the Cooper gang.

As her body slowly recuperated, Bentley spent most of his time researching on Rajan, the Bengal tiger Sly and Jazlyn overheard from the bug planted in Dimitri's office. Another member of the Klaww Gang and in-charge of the spice production was all they knew based on the overheard conversation, and the turtle refused to leave Monaco until he learned more about Rajan, his location, and what part of Clockwerk was in his possession. All of this was perfectly fine with Jazlyn since it gave her plenty of time to recover. Sly, on the other hand, was beginning to get antsy staying in one place for so long and not moving closer to the next Clockwerk part, but Bentley reassured him numerous times that he was getting closer to finding out what part Rajan had and the perfect opportunity to steal it.

"I don't like waiting around while the Klaww Gang is using the Clockwerk parts," Sly said as he paced the length of her room, tousling the tuft of fur under his cap in agitation.

Jazlyn shifted on the bed, a _fu tao_ sword in her lap and a cloth in her hand as she polished the blade. "Even so, Sly, they haven't tried to put the old bird back together. From what I can gather, based on what Bentley told me, it sounds like they're just using his body as means to an end."

He paused in mid-step to glance over his shoulder at her, mouth twisted into a scowl. "Bentley also said that there is probably someone in their ranks who has organized this entire operation _and_ has the capabilities to put Clockwerk back together. It's too much of a risk for the parts to be in different locations that only the Klaww Gang know of."

"True," she agreed, head still down and focused on her task. "But, we can't jump to conclusions."

She heard his footsteps stop again and her ears flicked toward his direction, a sign that she was still listening. For several minutes, there was nothing but the sound of Murray laughing at whatever he was watching on TV in the next room. The snow leopardess didn't look up as the raccoon made his way over to her, sitting in the desk chair across from her, and still just as silent. She let him stew on whatever it was that was bothering him now and continued to work on her prized possession. Soon, she'll have to start practicing with them again and build back the strength in her arms to wield them.

The sudden quietness of the room didn't bother her—she was used to working in silence and not talking for long periods of time. The less sound that came from her during the job the better, in her opinion, but after joining the Cooper gang, she'd slowly gotten used to their rambunctiousness and the way they planned their heists. Hell, she was beginning to forget what it felt like to work alone—to be alone and work in silence. Her lips twitched, leaving them was going to be harder than she thought.

"You said 'we.'"

At his sudden statement, Jazlyn looked up from her work to see him watching her intently. Her eyebrows scrunched in confusion, not sure what he meant by it.

He chuckled at her questioning stare, "That's the first time you considered yourself a part of our team."

"Well, considering how I just jumped on the band wagon, Sly, I'm just an outsider here." She shrugged and looked away. Her mind was reeling for an excuse because despite how they saved her, and she was with them only until her personal vendetta was completed, she was growing attached. It was too much of a risk for her—she couldn't get hurt again.

A paw touched her shoulder, gentle and warm, and she flinched away from him. Sly didn't pull away after her reaction, instead he sat on the bed beside her and turned her face to look at him with his other hand. His eyes held no judgement in them, only understanding and curiosity. "Jazlyn, you're not an outsider here unless you decide to be one."

She refused to meet his eyes after that and pulled her chin away from him. "Look, anyone would feel like an outsider when the three of you have a bond so strong y'all may as well be brothers. I don't expect to join that…connection or to disrupt it. You barely know me, Sly."

"I know you well enough to tell that you learned not to trust anyone easily for a reason. You're scared that we're going to turn into those bastards that tortured you—"

Jazlyn shoved him away, standing up with her sword in hand, and snarled, "Get out. _Get out!_ "

Without another word, he left her alone in her room to cry like a damn fool. She couldn't understand how easy it was for them to get under her skin and worm their way into her heart. Maybe she should've left them once she was strong enough to take care of herself again, but there was just _something_ about them that made her feel like Fate was finally giving her an award for enduring her hardships. Even so, Sly Cooper had _no right_ to bring up the bullying or her past like that. He didn't _know her_. He had no right—no matter whatever relationship they had.

After that day, Jazlyn avoided Sly like the plague, which was quite the feat considering their rooms were connected and they're staying in the same building. She continued her training regimen and slowly incorporated her swordplay to avoid any strain to her body. Her arms would shake and quiver after spending nearly two weeks on bedrest, but by the time Bentley informed them that he'd found Rajan and their way in, she was confident enough that she could protect herself. Maybe not against large goons or assassins-for-hire like Slicer, but at least Jazlyn had the option.

Jazlyn sat beside Murray, she and the pink hippo were playing a card game when Bentley announced his news. Sly was sitting in a lounge chair, nodding off, with his hat over his eyes and oblivious to the world. She and the raccoon still hadn't said a word to each other since her demand that he leave her room. Her heart clenched in discomfort at their lack of banter and conversations, but he had crossed a line that she refused to let anyone over. She hadn't done anything wrong, and yet guilt was still heavy on her mind.

"So," Sly yawned, pulling his blue hat back onto his head. "Where're we going this time, pal?"

Bentley adjusted his glasses on his nose and shifted in his seat near the room's provided desk. "Rajan is hosting a lavish ball within his castle in India to show off the Clockwerk wings, and I plan for us to crash the party. We have a week and a half until the ball begins to travel from Monaco to India. First thing tomorrow morning, we'll leave."

Jazlyn raised her eyes heavenward, praying for patience because this was going to be a _long_ drive.


	9. Thrift Shop

**Here's the next chapter as promised! Also, I'm officially done with summer school and can finally relax again! WOOOO (cue dork dancing)**

 **Anyway, I won't keep y'all long. Please enjoy this chapter and thanks for all the reviews last chapter (and for the rest of the story as a whole)! Glad y'all are like the plot so far :)**

 **~Delyth**

* * *

 _Chapter Eight_

 _Thrift Shop_

By the time they finally arrived to Rajan's castle estate, Jazlyn was ready to claw her eyes out from being cramped up in a tight space for so long. Sure, they had a few stops for stretching their legs, grabbing a few snacks, and using the bathroom, but they never stayed in one town for too long. When Murray was tired enough, they'd pull off the road and sleep until he had enough rest before they continued. Even though she loved the sights as they traveled whenever she traded places with Bentley in the passenger seat, the snow leopardess was glad that they'd finally arrived.

Throughout the entire ride, Jazlyn tried to ignore the raccoon as much as possible, but no matter how hard she tried, she could sense his eyes on her face. She didn't dare look at him or acknowledge that she knew he was watching her. Even if she had, there was no way Jazlyn was going to have a personal conversation with both Bentley and Murray present. She was embarrassed enough for her own actions and the way she reacted toward Sly, the teenager didn't need nor want the turtle or hippo to judge her. In the end, she decided to listen to the results of Bentley's detailed research.

Apparently, Rajan was born in the slums of Calcutta and started his spice operation as a young teenager. As his clientele grew so did his operation as he gained more and more money from dealing on the streets. Eventually, he became a renowned member of the Klaww Gang and ran an enormous spice operation that supplied over half the countries of the world like the United States, Canada, England, France, etc. The list went on and on, making Jazlyn wonder how she'd never heard of the drug until recently. In any case, Rajan dubbed himself the Lord of the Hills and had quite the ego if his clear arrogance over showing off the Clockwerk wings in this ball was any indication. She figured the tiger would have plenty of guards roaming the entire estate to make sure his guests weren't going to steal from him, or that the Cooper gang wouldn't interfere with his week-long spectacle.

Sly remained eerily quiet after Bentley finished debriefing the rest of them, and Jazlyn couldn't fathom why other than her refusal to talk to him or the mention of the monster's wings who had chased down several members of the Cooper clan. She could understand the latter, but she really hoped that his downcast demeanor had nothing to do with her. And maybe she was just overthinking the situation. Normally, Jazlyn wouldn't have obsessed over herself so much and how her actions and decisions affected a group of mammals, but it was becoming abundantly clear that she liked the Cooper gang.

"You okay, Spots?" The master thief asked from behind her and making her jump a foot in the air.

She nearly dropped the box that held Bentley's precious technical equipment as she turned around to stare at him wide-eyed. How long had she zoned out? Apparently, long enough that the snow leopardess was now blocking the entrance of their new safehouse and keeping Sly from entering with his own burden. They were unpacking the van and placing their goods into a cave-like structure that was located just in front of the massive moat-and-drawbridge to Rajan's home. There wasn't much inside the cave but it was large enough for all of them and for their equipment that Jazlyn was beginning to wonder how they possibly fit all of it in the back of the van.

"Yeah, sorry. I was thinking about something." Jazlyn juggled the box she was carrying in her arms long enough for her to wipe the sweat from her forehead. Her heavy, thick fur was making things very difficult as her kind weren't built to live in humid, tropical environments. She wasn't the only one sweating, but the boys didn't have quite the same dilemma that she had. What was going to be annoying was making sure she stayed really hydrated and not push her body as she rebuilt her endurance.

Sly raised an eyebrow, "Worried about being so close to that elephant patrol unit?"

They both glanced at the giant elephant walking nearby the drawbridge, a spotlight attached to a tent-like saddle on its back. When Murray was driving closer, they grew worried that whoever was inside that tent would hear the van's engine, but luckily, they slipped under its radar.

"No, I'm not concerned about that anymore." She looked down, suddenly very unsure of herself and she hated it, but for the sake of repairing their shaky friendship, Jazlyn swallowed her pride. "Sly?"

As Jazlyn met his curious stare, she took a deep breath and tried again. "About that night back in Monaco…I—"

Green eyes widened as her entire body froze and the words she was trying to say lodged into her throat as the raccoon pressed a single finger against her lips. The breath in her lungs stilled mid-inhale and Sly took advantage of her abrupt silence. "You don't have to say anything. I crossed a line and I shouldn't have pushed it. Sorry for offending you."

"You're cutting me a lot of slack. I don't get you," Jazlyn said, shaking her head in mild bewilderment as she pulled away from him. Was he apologizing because he knew that he'd done wrong or was he just doing it to please her? Or, was she reading into it too much again?

Sly sighed, "I shouldn't have pushed you like that, it wasn't any of my business."

"And because you feel bad for me."

"No, I don't." His eyes sharpened and the grip he had on the box tightened. "You've been through shit that's made you stronger and untrusting toward strangers. Anyone who can survive what you've had, is strong and doesn't need any pity from anyone."

Instead of answering, Jazlyn turned on her heel and entered the cave. Honestly, she didn't really know what to say in response to any of the stuff he'd said. Her mind seemed to be reeling a lot more after the raccoon said or did something that shocked her.

She swallowed, setting the box down and immediately heading to the far corner of their temporary home to go through her bag for tank tops and shorts. Behind her, she could hear Bentley talking to Sly about taking some recon photos of the party and its guests to figure out their next move. So far, they knew Sly was going to have to infiltrate the ball at some point, but for now, recon photos were top priority.

As she grabbed a cropped top and a pair of jean shorts, Sly was already leaving for recon and Bentley was busy setting up communications and his laptop. Murray announced with a grin that he was going to stash the van. Somehow—and she was questioning the physics of the van's space—they had a folding table that Bentley had placed in the center of their cave. They even had _chairs_ that were hiding behind a multitude of boxes and not once, had she seen either the table or chairs until now. Their way of packing was on a whole different level, that's for sure.

Jazlyn reached for the leather belt that had holsters for her _fu tao_ swords to rest at her hips, and once her swords were safely secured, she made her way to lean over Bentley's shoulder to watch his computer screen. Already, the turtle had successfully hacked his way into Rajan's security system and was sorting through camera feeds until he found the ballroom.

Guards littered the entire scene, patrolling along the balcony that overlooked the ballroom and its crowded dance floor. A rendition of the eight-armed goddess Durga was placed centered stage behind a throne-like chair. Its golden hue was outshined by the large silver Clockwerk wings that were attached to the tigress's back. If not for the terrifying story associated with those wings, Jazlyn would have gawked all day long at the pure beauty of the statue and the Clockwerk wings that had helped a monster commit murder. She shook her head, refocusing on the screen and searching for Rajan, the spice lord, or other notorious guests like the Klaww Gang.

"Sly, don't go out on the balcony or you'll be caught. Try to get pictures of the Clockwerk wings, Rajan, and other party guests." The turtle paused a moment to shuffle through papers until he found what he wanted. "According to the guest list I acquired, two members of the Klaww Gang should be there as well as some Interpol agents."

" _Alright, pal. Any names or descriptions for these Klaww Gang members and Interpol agents?"_ Sly only sounded amused at the thought of two more notorious members of a gang he's basically at war with _and_ Interpolagents infiltrating the party. She rolled her eyes, of course, he'd find the entire situation laughable.

Bentley handed a sheet of paper to the snow leopardess, barely looking up from the guest list he was skimming through. "Jazlyn, read over those security formations. Take note of ways Murray and I can get into Rajan's stronghold."

She gave the turtle a mock salute, grinning, "Aye, aye, captain."

 **~o~**

After hours spent studying the schematics of the palace as well as the security procedures, Jazlyn rubbed her temples with a sigh. The only way for both Murray and Bentley to get inside the estate was through the drawbridge that was kept under lock and key by several guards. Crossing the river through the sharp pointed rocks was virtually impossible for the turtle and hippo, but Sly could easily cross it without a problem thanks to the skills he learned by reading the famous _Thievius Raccoonus._ She reached for the cup of tea Murray had made for her an hour ago and grimaced at the cool liquid passing through her throat.

She stood up from the space she claimed as hers at the table and stretched, tail twitching at her feet as several vertebrae popped. Her head turned to the side, watching Bentley still pouring through the pictures Sly had gotten from recon and digging through ThiefNet and the Internet to find more information about the two members of the Klaww Gang and the Contessa, an Interpol agent. Jazlyn grabbed her notes and the sheets of paper Bentley had handed her with her own scribbled notes in the margins. She'd also sketched out a few possible plans that would shut down the high security surveillance system Rajan was using. Bentley, no doubt, would want to get rid of the helicopter that patrolled the skies as well as the SUV that was equipped with missiles, of all things.

"Bentley," she nudged him, and barely contained her smile as the small turtle jumped in his seat. "I've got some good news and some bad news."

He stopped what he was doing and faced her, adjusting his glasses. "I don't know how I feel about that, but okay. Tell me the good news first."

Sly, who had long since returned from his recon mission, perked up in the corner where he was dozing. He made his way to the table and claimed his seat across from Bentley while Murray continued his coloring at the table, completely zoned out despite the potentially serious conversation. The large hippo who liked the fight and showing his strength was such a gentle, kind soul with a childlike innocence. It was so cute, and Jazlyn couldn't help but smile as he grabbed another colored pencil from its box.

The snow leopardess handed the turtle her notes and the files. "Well, the good news is that I found a way for you and Murray to make it inside the estate—the drawbridge. According to the security file, the drawbridge normally remains down, but considering the large number of guests and the threat of an attack or raid, Rajan has ordered the drawbridge to remain up and under lock and key."

She crossed her arms and shifted her weight to her left leg. "The bad news is that the only way to get the keys are by pickpocketing them off of several different guards. Once the guards realize that the drawbridge is down and the keys to the padlocks are missing, they'll know that something fishy is going on. Once Sly unlocks the drawbridge, one of you will have to enter and he'll have to pull the bridge back up to avoid suspicion."

The raccoon rubbed his chin in thought, eyes thoughtful. "We'll have to keep opening and closing the drawbridge every time Bentley or Murray have to go in. Doesn't seem too bad."

"That's not the issue here, Sly," Jazlyn sighed, and explained, "The difficult part is making sure the guards don't realize their keys are missing. According to security procedures, at the end of a guard's shift who has the key, another guard will take over his post and hold the it. We'll need to make decoys of some kind so they won't suspect anything."

Bentley nodded, not bothering to look up from the stack of paper she'd handed him. "She's right. I think I should be able to create a dummy key for Sly to replace the real one with. It might take the rest of the night, but by tomorrow they should be ready."

"So, we wait? Isn't there something else we can do in the meantime?" Sly whined, and Jazlyn still couldn't get over the fact that this male raccoon was almost two years older than her and he was acting a like child.

She rolled her eyes. "There is something you could be doing, Cooper." He glanced over to her, gaze curious as he waited for her to continue. "I'm sure Bentley will agree with me when I say that you need to get into that ballroom."

The turtle looked up from reading and blinked owlishly at her, clearly astonished that she had guessed what his next course of action was. If she was going to steal something from a spice lord, then she was going to infiltrate and spy for a few days before going into action. By the way Sly carried himself, she could tell that he moved like a dancer at certain times and would be the perfect choice to be a guest attending Rajan's ball. All he needed was a nice tuxedo and comb back his tuft of hair on top of his head.

As she eyed him up and down, Bentley cleared his throat noisily and said, "I agree. Sly, you'll need to find a tuxedo if you want to enter the ballroom. Maybe you can find a spare in the guest house."

Jazlyn took a deep breath, suddenly very nervous for what she was about to say, but the topic needed to be brought up. "He'll need a date, Bentley. It'll be too suspicious if he just shows up alone. Most of the guests have a female escort at their sides and Sly stands out enough because of his cockiness."

"Cockiness?" Sly repeated, taken back and possibly offended, but Jazlyn and Bentley ignored him.

"I'm not sure about you being in the field yet, Jazlyn." Bentley held her gaze and she held her ground, her eyes burning with intensity.

She wasn't going to back down now that she'd said it, and the snow leopardess took a deep breath as she said, calmly, "Sly will need backup and no offense, Bentley, but you and Murray won't fit into that crowd. They'll know that you're not wealthy aristocrats or drug lords. Plus, Sly will need someone to watch his back, and believe it or not, but I've gone undercover several times in the past. I'm not an amateur."

"You're not fully healed," he argued weakly, knowing full well that she was right—Sly did need someone to make sure he wasn't getting into trouble and since the drawbridge was still up, Bentley or Murray wouldn't be able to help him if something went wrong.

The snow leopardess snorted, "If everything goes well, I won't need to exert myself too much. You know I'm right, Bentley."

Before the turtle could reply, Sly smirked and rested his cheek against his palm. "You really want to be my date, huh, Spots?"

"Oh, shut up, Cooper." She refused to let her cheeks flush at the comment, instead she waited for the turtle's reply. "Well?"

After a long moment, the turtle finally sighed in defeat and placed the stack of files on the table. He reached into the pack beside him and pulled out a small container labeled 'COMMUNICATIONS.' She raised an eyebrow at the plastic box and held out a hand when Bentley pulled out whatever it was he was looking for. He placed it in her paw. "This earwig is one of my own creations and allows me to hear everything that goes on without you having to press down on the receiver. It also records all audio and there's a tracker in it as well."

She placed it in her ear and could hear a slight buzzing sound as Bentley connected the earwig to his laptop. "You never fail to go all out, eh, Bentley?"

He didn't reply right away as he fiddled with his computer. Jazlyn met Sly's bemused gaze and he winked at her with another typical smirk sliding into place. She rolled her eyes and headed to her corner to grab her _fu tao_ swords and her sheaths. The leather belt that was designed specifically by her was comforting as she slid the _fu tao_ swords into their individual sheaths, and she reached for two straps that attached to her thighs that held her daggers.

When she finished, Bentley was already creating a waypoint for them to start. "The guest house will be heavily guarded, but you should be able to sneak past the guards with ease. Jazlyn, don't push yourself and stick close to Sly."

Jazlyn bit back her protest and nodded. She could take care of herself in a fight if it came down to it, and she certainly didn't need a babysitter when she could handle herself despite not having nearly enough experience like the Cooper gang did. Either way, she wasn't going to let Sly think that they weren't equals—she wouldn't be treated like a burden.

As they left the safehouse, Sly stopped just outside the entrance and pulled her to a stop. "I know you're not dead weight, but you're out of shape since being hurt. Bentley only wants to look out for you. We all do."

She sighed, her irritation dissipating. She wasn't used to being in a group that actually cared for her wellbeing. "I know, but can you blame me? I'm not used to anyone _caring_ while on the job."

"That's right," Sly said, releasing her arm and beginning to walk again. He led her to the nearby stream that flowed on the north side of the sprawling palace estate. "You sometimes worked with mobsters."

The snow leopardess eyed the jutting rocks that remained unmoving against the river's current and noticed a boulder that was just flat and large enough for them to rest on. She's walked and run across several different kinds of terrain other than the flat rooftops of Paris but jumping across sharply pointed rocks would be a new one for her. Sly glanced over his shoulder, a calculating gleam appearing in his eye as he flicked his gaze from her and back to the rocks.

She knew what he was planning before he even opened his mouth and held up a hand. "You're not carrying me across. You go first and I'll watch—I'm a quick learner."

The master thief was hesitant at first, but he relented after holding her determined stare for a few seconds. With a sigh, he took a closer step toward the riverbed's edge and motioned with his cane toward the first jutting rock. "The key to landing is gauging the rock's point and creating a gap between your feet. You also shouldn't stay in the same spot for too long either."

He took a deep breath and jumped across to the first rock, landing with perfect ease. Jazlyn's eyes zeroed on his feet, noting the way they gripped the small surface of the rock's peak. The raccoon looked over his shoulder again to make sure she was paying attention before hopping to the next one until he reached the boulder embedded in the river bed.

"You think you can handle it?" He called over the river's chatter.

Jazlyn fought to keep her eyes from rolling at his worrying but nodded anyway. She'd never done this before and he was only trying to help her. The skill he showed with such finesse made the entire act look so easy, but she wasn't cocky enough to say that it wouldn't be a piece of cake. Quite the opposite. For everything to work accordingly, she needed to land correctly without any mistakes or she'd make an impromptu dip in the cool water.

Her tail flicked in anticipation behind her as she stepped to the edge of the riverbank. Her eyes were focused on her target as her legs instinctively prepared for the jump and landing. Without an ounce of fear, Jazlyn leapt for the first rock and perched on the sharp point with near perfection, but she could feel her grip slipping plus her balance wasn't stable enough to remain in her current position for long. She could feel Sly's intense eyes on her as she made the second jump and settled on the rock much more smoothly than the last. Her lips twitched into a small smile as she made the last leap for the boulder Sly was standing on.

The raccoon's face held several different emotions—the most prevalent were surprise and…pride? Mentally shrugging it off, Jazlyn dusted off imaginary dirt as she met his darkening stare and an intense electric shock bombarded her senses. Heat threatened to rise to her cheeks and the snow leopardess looked away to find another step hold, if you will, to climb the palace's walls. An overgrown vine rested in a corner of the stone wall, leading up to the arrow loops, and their way in. She didn't bother to warn Sly as she took a few steps backwards and lunged forward with a burst of speed. Her muscles bunched together before she shoved off the boulder and toward the stone wall's overgrown greenery.

Luckily, the vine barely moved from her abrupt weight as her hands latched firmly around it. She clenched her teeth at the sharp pain stabbing her sides at her decision to jump across a river and slam into a stone wall. Glancing behind her, Jazlyn saw Sly shaking his head and pointing above her, miming her to be quiet.

Without questioning his judgement, Jazlyn remained still and silent, even as her arms burned, and air hissed between her teeth from the pain. Minutes felt like hours before Sly finally gave her the all-clear and she climbed her way up, carefully searching for anymore guards who were patrolling the area. As she pulled herself up and through two arrow loops, Sly made a running leap for the vine as well and barely grunted from the impact as he placed his precious hooked cane in his mouth while he ascended.

"The guest house is to the south and over a bridge. We'll need to make our way past the guards," Sly murmured after pulling his cane from his lips. He looked around for the next possible guard before he spoke again. "Bentley, we made it over the wall. Spots and I are heading toward the waypoint now."

Her earwig buzzed to life, Bentley's nasal voice coming in loud and clear. _"Good. You'll both need to work fast—the sun will be rising in the next five hours."_

"Roger," Jazlyn told him, starting forward and leading the way with practiced ease. Her steps barely made a sound as she glided across the stone and toward a tunnel that would lead them to the bridge for the guest house through a back alley.

Sly caught up with her, eyes searching for danger even though his focus was on her. This would be the first time he'd see her in action as a thief and not a snow leopardess ready to claw his face off. The corner of her lips curled upward at the memory from when they'd first met as she entered the dim corridor. Her eyes quickly adjusted to the torches' illuminating glow and her ears twitched on her head, listening intently for the nearest set of footsteps. Beside her, Sly moved slightly to her left and pulled ahead in case a guard did see them and they'd have to fight. She didn't bother to protest; instead, Jazlyn allowed him to take the lead as they exited the tunnel and into the moonlight.

Despite the large amount of land Rajan owned and the houses that appeared to be occupied by civilians, there was no one out on the streets. Not even adults lingering around dark alleyways after drinking too much, and she wondered if Rajan had placed a strict curfew on the residents who lived here. Either way, the only mammals out and about were the guards the tiger had employed.

"There's a guard coming our way," Jazlyn whispered, pointing to their right where a small, hidden path was. She could see the light of a torch casting a golden hue along the gray stone steps.

Sly nodded, speeding up his pace with the snow leopardess following quickly on his heels. Her hair whipped across her face as a sudden gust of wind coming from the bottomless canyon they were walking beside decided to make itself known. She puffed air up towards her bangs to move them from her eyes and flicked the end of her braid back over her shoulder. They drew near the bridge where a rhino patrolled the length of it tirelessly. She frowned, they were going to have to find a way pass him to reach the guest villa.

They crouched near a row of barrels, watching for any other guard to appear before they made a dash for the rooftop of a nearby building that was free of a small patrol guard on the roof. As Sly helped her up the final railing, her eye caught a strip of vine winding around the left bridge post all the way across the canyon and to a small uphill path etched into the cliffside. The path climbed the cliffside to the cobbled streets of the guesthouse apartments.

Sly noticed her line of sight and came to the same conclusion as he steadied her on the roof's edge. "We'll need to sneak pass the guard and check the vine's strength before crossing. Not a bad plan though."

"So long as we don't fall." She grinned, watching the lone rhino walk further away from the front of the bridge. As soon as the rhino's torch was almost at the end, both Sly and Jazlyn slinked off the building and rushed to the vine. Inspecting it quickly, Sly pulled the vine hard in his hand and tested its durability before moving to climb off the edge of the cliff.

Jazlyn made sure her weapons were secured and tensed, ready to grab the raccoon if the vine snapped under his weight. Thankfully, the vine held as he moved carefully and quickly along it, not even struggling at having to climb sideways along the bridge's structure. Awed, she nearly lost herself in watching him and almost was caught by a stout, gray goat equipped with daggers walking straight toward her. He was whistling a jolly tune, not at all paying attention to his surroundings, which helped her greatly as she shimmied onto the vine and began to follow the master thief.

The hardest part about climbing for her was the fear of looking down into nothing but an abyss. She climbed up buildings and preferred the rooftops more than streets anyway, but what freaked her out was not seeing what laid below. Teeth clenched tightly, Jazlyn refused to look down and instead, focused on Sly's curling tail as he moved expertly in front of her. After nearly ten minutes of anxiety, they finally made it to the small jutted path of the cliffside.

Her breathing evened out as soon as her feet touched solid ground and Sly steadied her when she stumbled. Chuckling, he let go of her elbow once she found her balance. "Alright, Bentley, we're heading for the first guest room."

" _Roger. Try not to make too much of a mess. We don't want Rajan or the guests to realize that they've been…liberated of a few items."_

Raising an eyebrow, Jazlyn shared an amused glance with the raccoon. "Liberated? You make it sound like we're freeing slaves or something."

" _Well, we are investing our lives for the greater good."_ Bentley huffed, and the snow leopardess could hear his exasperation it was so thick in his tone.

She laughed, allowing Sly to take point as they made their way up the cliffside. "Whatever you say, Bentley."

The turtle didn't reply after that as the raccoon peaked over the edge of the cliff to check for nearby guards. She waited, breathing quiet and mind completely focused on the task at hand. Her heart was thrumming with excitement and anticipation as they stepped onto the paved streets. Sly pointed at a balcony where a glass-paned door was cracked and giving them the perfect opportunity to break in. Nodding that she'd seen what he wanted, she listened to her surroundings, searching for the heavy steps of a rhino patrolman.

"Should be clear for now. Let's get to higher ground." Sly grunted in agreement of her assessment, leading the way as they made a beeline for the low balcony.

Her muscles coiled, preparing for the jump, and as her feet left the ground, a sense of flying fluttered over her as she smiled. She landed with ease on the balcony's railing, completely unbothered by the thin stone perch as her eyes surveyed their surroundings once more while Sly climbed. Only a few hundred yards separated them from the nearest guard—a thinly built chimp with a wooden pole that was lit at the top and he had a flask of some sort in his hand. She wasn't sure what the monkey could do with that combination in a fight but decided it was best they stayed as far away from Rajan's men as possible.

While she continued her survey, the raccoon hopped over the railing and peaked inside the guest room. He murmured her name to gain her attention and motioned that the coast was clear. Jazlyn rolled her eyes at his charming smirk as he held the glass door opened for her to enter first. The room was large and spacious with two levels, a living room and lounge area that led to the balcony and a higher level that could be reached by a two-step staircase. A king-sized bed furnished with satin sheets and a canopy was the center of the upper level with a nightstand on either side along with a handmade, weaved basket. To the left of the bed was an expansive closet that was filled with clothes, which made her wonder what all did a single mammal need for a week's worth of a ball? She eyed the wardrobe on the other side that led into the small bathroom area as well as a mini-dressing room.

Sly whistled, already rummaging through a few suitcases that were filled to the brim with nice tailored clothes like suits, cocktail dresses, and what looked like old-fashioned ballroom gowns. "Whoever stays in this room doesn't spare any expense."

"I'm pretty sure that's everyone at this ritzy ball," Jazlyn said wryly, nose wrinkling in disgust at the puffy fuchsia dress she pulled from the second suitcase beside the one Sly was digging through.

He laughed at her expression. "I figured you'd like dresses, Spots."

"Not the ones that look like an old Victorian outfit." She shoved the offending gown back in the bag and headed for the closet, hoping that the occupant of this room actually had a dress that wasn't horrid like that one.

While she shifted through the closet, Sly found a tux jacket in his size and a red bow tie hidden in the wardrobe. If it weren't for the fact they were invading someone's privacy, she would've considered this a shopping spree.

Her eyes widened at the golden two-piece dress she discovered between a lavender pantsuit and a pink cocktail dress. It was a crop top with three silver chains dangling around the midriff while the skirt had two long slits up the sides, which would've completely shown off her toned thighs and legs with each step and shimmer of the fabric. Hanging from the hanger's hook, three silver bangles of various sizes rested—two big enough to fit along her biceps and one for her neck. Without hesitation, Jazlyn grabbed the outfit and placed it gently into the backpack Bentley had given them just before they left. After folding it very carefully to keep from wrinkling it, Jazlyn looked up and met Sly's intense gaze.

Blood threatened to rush to her cheeks as she realized he'd seen the sexy dress she decided to steal. It took all her willpower to hold his stare and not show any sign that she was affected by what he was doing. In fact, she was proud of her body and didn't care at all that the dress she'd chosen revealed so much fur. Sure, it would draw a lot of attention, but wasn't that the point? When it was time to take the Clockwerk wings, they would need a distraction to keep both the guests and Rajan busy. So, no, she wasn't going to let her embarrassment take hold of her, instead, she raised her chin slightly and smirked.

The raccoon opened his mouth to say something, but voices from outside the room's door were drawing closer. Quickly, Jazlyn shoved the backpack at the raccoon and proceeded to hide under the bed while Sly disappeared in the wardrobe.

"Lord Rajan is growing more paranoid by the day," One baritone voice said, seemingly exasperated by the situation.

There was a pause before the second voice, a higher pitched tone, answered. "Yeah, that ol' tiger needs to relax. That raccoon and his pathetic gang ain't getting pass us."

A snort, and Jazlyn could see the light from the rhino's torch into the room through the bed's blankets. "There's been rumors floating that they're already here—hiding somewhere."

"Bah! Nothing but hearsay. They're just trying to make up an excuse to be sporadic," the monkey said, walking passed her hiding spot and checking the lower level of the room.

The rhino headed for the bathroom as he replied, "Still. There's something strange goin' on around here. I can feel it."

"Well, your gut has gotten you into trouble before, Ajit, and we're wasting time checking all the rooms. No one's getting in here."

As the monkey returned to the front of the bed, Jazlyn held her breath as Ajit stood right in front of her. She kept as still as possible, barely breathing, and willed her heart to calm as she inhaled deeply through her nose. If she let her heart race out of her chest then Ajit's companion could easily hear it and discover her hiding place.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, the pair continued their argument outside and left the room blissfully silent. Jazlyn counted to ten in her head before warily crawling out from under the bed. Only when she was absolutely sure the two were gone, did she finally relax. The door to the wardrobe creaked open as the raccoon peeked outside, then proceeded to exit his hiding spot with a wild grin. Despite being nearly caught in the middle of a heist, Jazlyn couldn't help but grin right back at him. The thrill of thieving and nearly getting caught, while it terrified her, the after effects of the adrenaline rush was totally worth the fear. When she had first started stealing, the snow leopardess had been so scared of getting caught that she was overly cautious and didn't really enjoy the art that was thieving at all. She only saw it as a means of survival, but after molding her craft into what it is today, Jazlyn loved every bit of it—even the times where she felt the police or guards were on her tail.

What once was survival had become her specialty and full-time job.

"Well," Sly said, his smile widening as he met her gaze and interrupting her thoughts, "that was interesting, wasn't it?"

She cocked a hip and crossed her arms with one eyebrow raised. "That those two fight like an old married couple or the other rooms are free of guards?"

"Both," he chuckled, shifting the straps of the backpack on his shoulders more comfortably. With the hand holding his ancestral cane, Sly pointed toward the door the two guards had just exited. "Shall we?"

Rolling her eyes at his wiggling eyebrows and smirk, Jazlyn waltzed toward the door to continue their mission.


	10. Night's Seduction

_Chapter Nine_

 _Night's Seduction_

The crowded ballroom was a chorus of voices bouncing and mingling together as Sly and Jazlyn entered. Dressed in the golden ensemble and feeling as confident as any elite mammal in the room, the snow leopardess held her chin high and proud, emerald eyes glimmering in the dim lighting as she surveyed the chatting mammals around them. Her hair flowed down to her waist in delicate waves with several glittering gold beads woven within the thick strands. She looked and felt like a foreign princess in this moment with a handsome and charming male at her side, their arms intertwined as Sly led her toward Rajan's throne to greet him.

The raccoon was absolutely drool-worthy in a smooth tuxedo, red bowtie, and his hair gelled back. His mask, which always seemed to engulf the mischievous sparkle of his eyes, was gone and now, his dark eyes were two pools of chocolate velvet that danced with the torches along the walls as they passed. It took everything she had to keep from staring at him when he first exited the cave after their return from the guest rooms. Even though she was trying to keep from giving him a slow and appreciative once over, his eyes immediately roamed her form from head to toe with a burning intensity before he smirked at her in clear approval. He had laughed when she flushed and stuttered out a compliment, and when he strode over to her confidently to tuck an errant strand of hair behind her ear, Jazlyn's breath left her completely.

"Ready?" Sly breathed as they neared the drug lord.

Jazlyn mentally shook her head to clear it and squeezed his hand. "Yeah."

Rajan sat in his magnificent throne like a god who had come down to greet his mortal worshippers. His thick claws tapped along the arms of the golden throne, clearly impatient about something, and his broad shoulders were held straight, showing a male who was dominant and in control. The typical dominant posturing of a male she'd seen numerous times back in high school, and the way he surveyed the room with his soulless eyes—eyes that had seen more death and hard times than possibly anyone in the ballroom—sent a shiver down her spine. His red vest did little to hide the lean muscles of his chest and arms, and his pants—a combination of the royal colors of India—obscured the legs of a male who was strong enough to survive on the streets of Calcutta and claw his way into one of the most notorious criminal gangs. His form was all lean and muscles rather than the thick build of his heavy-duty guards, but Jazlyn could make out the tension in his posture and the paranoia of a near crazed tiger.

Sly showed no hesitation or apprehension of standing so close to a hardened criminal who wouldn't have any qualms killing them if he found out just who they were. The snow leopardess steadied her breathing, focused on the raccoon's presence as he oozed calm and charm, and smiled regally at the Bengal tiger who finally turned his attention to them lazily. She refused to squirm under his stare as he observed her form; instead, she dipped into a light curtesy as Sly introduced them.

"Lucien Delacroix, my lord," he bowed his head and gestured toward her with a gentle smile, eyes twinkling with such affection that it nearly startled her, but she held his gaze and returned the love he poured out into her soul by cupping his cheek briefly in affection. "This is my fiancé, Katrine. It is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, Lord Rajan."

Rajan turned his focus from her to Sly, his gaze cold and calculating as he replied, "I do not remember you being on the invitation list."

His voice was the same deep rumble, vibrating with what could only be contained anger from what, Jazlyn didn't have a clue.

Without missing a beat, Jazlyn offered a smooth explanation with an apologetic glance. "We apologize for not sending word beforehand, but we are representing Jacques Pierre. Something suddenly came up at Luscious Grape."

"I see," Rajan mumbled, nodding slowly. "Very well. I presume our shared…. _merchandise_ is still on target for Paris?"

She kept from stiffening at the slight admission of his spice being consumed by clients of Jacques Pierre's wine. If she was correct in presuming he had connections in other well-known companies and brands, then who knows how many unknowing buyers had consumed merchandise contaminated with spice.

"Of course, all is going according to plan," Sly murmured, and showed no sign that he was disturbed by the information they had inadvertently uncovered.

Rajan grinned, a smug smile that showed off his impressive set of fangs. "Very good. Please, do enjoy yourselves. There can be more talk of business at a later time."

They bowed once more before walking away, but Jazlyn could feel the Bengal tiger's stare digging into her back. Sly glanced sideways at her, noticing her suddenly stiff posture, and without having to look behind him at the source, he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to his side. He leaned down to her ear, making it twitch as his breath fluttered over the sensitive hairs. "It's okay. I'm right here."

She scoffed in irritation, more at herself than him. "I don't exactly appreciate males who think they can have whatever the hell they want just because they're rich. Especially, drug lords like Rajan who'd gladly slit my throat if he found out who I was and what I was doing here."

"Very pessimistic tonight, aren't we?" His fingers brushed through the fur of her right shoulder, a soothing and comforting sensation that eased the tension in her shoulders.

"More like I'm frustrated with myself. I don't normally let creeps like Rajan get to me when I'm undercover." She sighed as Sly led them deeper into the crowd and away from the dancefloor while they talked. It would be dangerous if one of Interpol's agents or the other party guests overheard their conversation.

Sly hummed in consideration, still drawing circles along her shoulder. "I think it might have something to do with Slicer."

"Oh?" She raised an eyebrow. "How does _he_ come into play?"

"He attacked you in your own home and made you realize that you're not as strong as you first thought." Before she could interrupt him with a scathing tongue, he said, "You're not weak by any means, Spots, if anything you're one of the strongest mammals I know. I doubt anyone could recover from such a traumatic event and still want to thieve like you do."

She remained silent, contemplating his little speech and the underlying admiration in his tone. Out the corner of her eye, she watched him observe her face for some kind of sign she was angry or upset, but there was only confusion and a mild case of shyness. Her skin burned at his continuous ministration on her shoulder, which was making it difficult to focus long enough to figure out what she wanted to say other than "thanks." There were so many signals flashing around them that Jazlyn couldn't tell which way was up or down hardly anymore. The longer she spent time with him, the tighter the string tying them together wrapped around them. She couldn't even be certain if it was just physical attraction that was bringing them together or something more, but whatever it was, she just hoped she didn't get hurt again.

Her escort pulled them to a stop, someone having caught his eye from another direction. Jazlyn stomped down her warring emotions and followed his line of sight to a tall, slim purple tigress with wavy locks of the darkest ebony. She wore a traditional gray Indian top and bottom, the tiny sequins dangling under her chest and around her waist. Before Jazlyn could even say a word, Sly was already making a beeline for the Interpol agent, and she had little time to elbow the raccoon in the side to be cautious around the tigress despite the help the gang had received back in Paris. You could never be too careful in Jazlyn's opinion, and getting help from an Interpol agent who could easily turn on them at any point in time made the snow leopardess edgy.

"Why," Sly began, his voice oozing with charm and amusement as they neared the Constable, "Constable Neyla, you look lovely this evening."

Jazlyn fought back her gag as the tigress eyed Sly with clear approval before registering that he had called her by her official title. Confusion crinkled her brow as she said, "I don't think we've met before."

"Of course, we have. We rendezvous back in Paris," the master thief smirked, pleased as recognition finally crossed over Neyla's face.

Despite the noise surrounding them, Neyla lowered her voice to a mere hiss. "Paris…? Cooper!" She glanced around her, possibly making sure neither the Contessa or the vixen were nearby. "You wouldn't happen to be here to turn yourself in, are you?"

Jazlyn snorted, unable to hold her tongue. "Yes, we just decided to come all the way to India just to turn ourselves in to the police."

Sly blinked at her wordlessly while Neyla finally turned her ogling eyes away from the master thief and focused on the snow leopardess. Her brow furrowed, and the tigress's mouth twisted into a frown. "I don't remember you being in the Cooper gang before. Who are you?"

Again, she interrupted Sly before he could introduce her by name. "Ghost."

"Ghost?" Neyla asked, clearly dumbfounded and Jazlyn met and held the tigress's narrowed gaze. Finally, there was a spark of realization. "The Ghost of Paris? I'm surprised you even know Cooper since you've only been active for a few years."

Easily, Jazlyn deflected the verbal blow with a fanged smile, "I'm surprised they've placed you on this case at all if you always need help solving it. No wonder you're only a Constable."

Anger flitted across the feline's face and Jazlyn tried to contain her smug smirk to herself. She didn't care that they needed Neyla's help to impress the fox and thoroughly distract her during the heist. Right now, she wanted to prove to the tigress that she wasn't going to just cower under her sexual prowess and show Neyla that she wasn't one to be messed with. If it weren't the fact that they were surrounded by the elite, two other Interpol agents, two members of the Klaww Gang, Rajan's men, and the drug lord himself, then Jazlyn would've gladly fought the other feline.

Maybe it was the inner predator in her that wanted to exert her dominance and territory to the tigress, but whatever the case, the minute Neyla had dismissed her entirely and focused appreciative eyes on Sly—her decorum flew straight out the window.

Sly's hand squeezed hers in warning and she glanced up through her eyelashes to see that not only was he shocked by her behavior, but there was something hidden beneath the chocolatey waves of his gaze that raised the temperature of her body. Jazlyn's eyes flicked to Neyla's again and, just for kicks, she stood on her tiptoes to kiss Sly on the cheek before murmuring sweetly, "I'm going to go freshen up a bit, dear. Why don't you keep Ms. Neyla company? I'm sure she wouldn't mind the company since she came alone."

The raccoon released his hold on her and struggled to regain his composure in front of the Interpol agent while Jazlyn sauntered into the crowd. There were times that her body was flushed against another mammal's, which made her a little flustered, but the snow leopardess finally made it to the edge of the ballroom. Placing a hand over her heart to take a breath, she glanced around to see if there were any guards nearby before placing a small, near microscopic camera Bentley gave her to place around the ballroom. They would need eyes and ears watching and listening to every possible angle of the ballroom the night of the heist.

"Bentley," she whispered quietly, while moving along the edge of the ballroom again and pretending to be searching for her escort or the bathroom. On the dancefloor, she could hear the sensual music of a tango beginning and hoped Sly had convinced the Constable to help them after her verbal jabs. "I'm placing the cameras along the outer edge of the ballroom."

" _Nice work, Jazlyn,"_ Bentley's nasally voice fluttered to life in her left ear. _"Try to place some of them on the balcony level and near the crank if you can."_

"Roger," Jazlyn chirped, completely in her element as she fluttered from one side to the next, making small talk with some of the party guests to keep from appearing too suspicious. Every now and again she could see Sly on the dancefloor, leading Neyla through a tango so smoothly that Jazlyn was captivated by his movements.

" _Jazlyn?"_ Bentley asked, not sternly but close enough that she knew he was about to lecture her again.

"Hmm?" The snow leopardess placed another camera near Rajan's throne when the tiger was watching Sly dip the Constable during a momentary pause in the music.

" _What was all of that earlier? We needed Neyla to help us capture Carmelita's attention."_

In all honestly, she still wasn't exactly sure what had come over her either, but the teenager wasn't appalled by her actions at all. In fact, she was proud and smug as if she'd just won a long, gruesome war. Her actions were territorial, and she had even imagined fighting the tigress right then and there—in the middle of the ballroom all because Neyla had _looked_ at Sly. Neither she nor Sly were exactly dating, therefore, she had absolutely no right to act the way she did and risk the success of the heist over jealousy.

She frowned as she placed one more camera on the bottom level and began to sneak her way up to the balcony. Jealousy. Jazlyn was jealous of the Constable for giving Sly the slow once-over and had acted to mark her territory. At the time, it had been to prove that she wasn't any lesser than the Constable and Jazlyn wasn't going to let Neyla walk all over her. She also wasn't going to trust the tigress no matter how many times she helped them. There was just something not right about the calculating stares and smooth British accent that held more hidden meanings than Jazlyn could count.

As she ascended the first staircase, keeping a sharp eye on the guards surrounding the party guests and Sly's dance with the Constable, she sighed. "Honestly, Bentley, I'm not all that sure myself. She just pissed me off. I'll try to hold my snide remarks to myself next time."

" _Alright but try not to tweak the tiger's tail too much."_ There was a pause and Jazlyn ducked into a darkened room as a rhino passed nearby. _"I agree with keeping your name a secret. The less everyone knows about your involvement with us, the better."_

"Because I'm a temporary member or to keep the Klaww Gang off my tail as much as possible?" Jazlyn peered around the doorway of her hiding spot and headed toward a vantage point that would give Bentley the best view of the crank above the massive Durga statue and their target: the Clockwerk wings.

" _You're our trump card and yes, it's best if the Klaww Gang doesn't realize you're a member yet."_

Not 'temporary.' But member. Despite herself, the warmth of Bentley including her into their gang, however limited it may be, meant a lot. She didn't dare hide the smile in her voice as she said, "Aw, so you _do_ like me, Bentley."

There were a series of unintelligible stuttering from the turtle and Jazlyn chuckled as she finished installing the last set of cameras. She casually made her way back to the staircase descending to the ballroom floor and watched as the growing crowd of onlookers observed both Sly and Neyla dance. They were reaching the climax of the song now and as the two's limbs intertwined effortlessly together in a clear show of passion and sensuality, the snow leopardess tried to keep the raging jealously from consuming her. It was all an act to draw the vixen in, but the sight of Neyla being flushed against the raccoon's chest and gazing into his eyes made Jazlyn's chest ache.

She shook herself mentally as she descended the stairs, head raised high and back straight as she glided across the floor and through the applauding onlookers. With ease, Jazlyn sidled up next to her 'fiancé' and winded her arm through his after he and the tigress bowed to their audience. She met Neyla's gaze with burning indifference and kissed Sly's cheek, smiling proudly at the male who had awed the guests with his performance.

"You dance very beautifully, Ms. Neyla, but I hope you don't mind if I take this next dance?" Jazlyn purred sweetly, eyes lidded and smile a little wider to show off her fangs. Out the corner of her eye, she could see Inspector Fox watching the interaction with interest but didn't appear convinced enough of Sly's dancing to ask him for a turn.

Sly noticed this as well and smirked in the snow leopardess's direction to show he agreed with her plan. Neyla watched the interaction with narrowed eyes before her face schooled into a polite and gracious smile. The tigress dipped her head as she headed toward her partner, no doubt to talk about Sly's skills and intrigue the fox into asking the master thief for a dance.

A slow, gentle waltz began to bloom from the orchestra and Jazlyn instantly fell into the traditional closed-hold of the waltz just as Sly's left arm wrapped around her waist. His smirk widened as she completely relinquished control to him as he led her from one side of their dancing bubble to the next. Their feet glided easily along the floor, her arms extended into beautiful lines as both of his arms lowered to her waist while she extended hers above her head. Her trust was in his hands as he held her in that position for two beats before lifting her back into hold, and they were off once again as the tempo of the waltz slowly reached its crescendo.

Their eyes were locked onto each other—the fire of the torches creating a sparkling glow in his brown orbs while hers ignited into a roaring green inferno. Her breath was mingling with his as they grew closer to each other, their muzzles barely brushing before Jazlyn was led into a series of twirls that had her nearly breathless and disoriented, but she trusted Sly. Her billowing skirts exposed her shapely legs and while she knew she should feel embarrass exposing so much fur to all those mammals, Jazlyn just couldn't bring herself to care. All that mattered in that moment was Sly's hands firmly grasping her hand and waist, the searing intensity of passion and yearning in his gaze, and his sweet scent that nearly drowned her.

As the waltz came to an end, Jazlyn closed her eyes and allowed Sly to pull her in close, drawing her into his chest like a lover who was frightened she would disappear as the music faded away. She was breathing heavier than she anticipated for a slower paced song, but that was to be expected when the male she danced with was not only handsome, he also knew how to _dance_. It was just something males being able to dance so beautifully and effortlessly that always made her go weak in the knees—and Sly had already made her mind fuzzy with looks and honey words alone.

Their audience once again applauded at the performance and as Jazlyn pulled away from the raccoon—suddenly very aware at how close she was and that their heist solely depended on keeping Inspector Fox distracted—she noticed that the voluptuous vixen was making her way over to them. Jazlyn took a deep breath to soothe her beating heart as the Interpol agent strode up to them with sashaying hips that could clearly be seen by the thigh-high slit on her right leg. The dark blue dress was elegant and beautiful as it hugged her curves and accented the voluminous, indigo curls framing her face and flowing down her shoulders.

"You have quite the dance partner there," the Inspector said, her voice slightly thick with an Hispanic accent.

Though the comment was directed at the snow leopardess, it was clear that it was only a formality as she gave Sly the complete once over. Jazlyn bit her tongue and had to concentrate to keep from grinding her teeth in annoyance. "Yes, he is. Although, he wasn't quite as accomplished in the beginning when he first entered my dance studio."

Sly chuckled good-naturedly, resting an arm around her waist like it was the most natural thing in the world. "She taught me everything I know."

"Even so, it appears the student has surpassed the teacher," Carmelita practically purred, clearly pleased that there would be less chance of her feet getting stomped on by her potential partner. "I hope you don't mind if I ask your dance partner to dance, Miss…?"

"My name is Katrine Belladona and this is my fiancé, Lucien Delacroix." She indicated Sly with a hand and smile, dismissing the earlier barbed comment.

Sly grasped the Inspector's hand daintily before bringing it to his lips as he half-bowed over her palm. He looked up and smirked, the mischief in his eyes palpable as they both knew that the Interpol agent would fall over if she realized that Lucien Delacroix was simply an alias for Sly Cooper. As amusing at it was, Jazlyn elbowed the raccoon discreetly in the side. Without missing a beat, he asked, "May I know the name of my next dancing partner?"

"Ms. Fox…Carmelita Fox." The Inspector brushed an errant curl behind her ear, suddenly shy and unsure.

"Well then, Ms. Fox, I hope to dance with you soon." Sly was already working his magic, creating a lie to convince the vixen to wait for their turn to dance together. Jazlyn didn't think it would work so easily, but she was stupid to doubt the abilities of the raccoon's silver tongue. He told Carmelita they would have their dance during the climax of the party, in order to show everyone how well they would dance together.

Appeased, the vixen told him to meet her in center of the ballroom on the last night around midnight. Jazlyn nearly gagged when the fox winked at him over her shoulder before swaying her curvy hips for all she was worth. She rolled her eyes at the obvious sexual advances of the fox and turned to tell Sly exactly what she thought about the Inspector, when she froze. Instead of his stare focusing on Carmelita's ass like she expected him to, he was watching her in amusement. There was that same softening warmth in his gaze that made her heart pound against their confines in her chest. She blinked, immediately forgetting what she was going to say.

He began leading her out of the ballroom, her arm intertwined with his and her hand being squeezed gently by his palm. As soon as they were out of ear shot of potential eavesdroppers, Sly told Bentley, "Mission accomplished, pal."

" _Good. With Carmelita distracted the heist will go a lot smoother, and the surveillance cameras Jazlyn installed around the ballroom will help us keep an eye on things during the heist."_

Jazlyn finally remembered how to act like a normal mammal and asked the turtle, "Do you need us for any other jobs tonight?"

" _No, come on back to the safehouse. We need to go over some plans for tomorrow night."_

"Roger," the two said in unison.

 **~o~**

As they made their way back to the safehouse, Jazlyn could feel Sly's intense stare on her back as she walked further ahead. She needed some air after changing out of the golden ensemble with him only a few feet away in a bush just outside the ballroom. There were so many times she thought he peeked at her as she pulled her tank over her head or when there was literally nothing covering her from the waist up. Don't get her wrong, she was infuriated at him for being a peeking tom, but there was also another part of her that found the entire thing arousing. And after her territorial actions at the ball when Neyla decided to completely ignore her, like she was just empty space and not even worth fighting with over a handsome male like Sly, she felt—in some ways—a hypocrite. Part of her actions were jealously, but the other half refused to be ignored and treated less than any mammal.

Jazlyn wanted to avoid the talk—or tease because let's face it, that's just who Sly was—with him because not only was she reeling with her own discovery, but she was a little embarrassed by her actions and her feelings. Didn't she warn herself _not_ to fall for the ringtail? What does she do? She goes and does it anyway! Screw logic and protecting her heart! Not to mention, she wasn't supposed to stay indefinitely, but unconsciously she'd already decided to stay.

She sighed, pausing mid-step and automatically glancing around the roof they were on to survey the street below. They would need to jump down to climb up a vine leading to a slightly wooded area that Sly said would take them back to the stream where they first crossed over. Even as said raccoon joined her at the edge and his paw barely brushed against her bare shoulder, she stiffened and prayed to whatever god would keep him from noticing.

"You've been acting strange all night, Spots," he commented, much to her dismay. She dared not look at him as he glanced her way. "A coin for your thoughts?"

The snow leopardess responded by jumping down and loping toward the vine that would lead them one step closer to the safehouse. She really didn't want to talk about her reaction, but the raccoon had other ideas as he caught up with ease and grabbed her arm, pulling her to a halt in the middle of the street. Without thinking, Jazlyn whirled around in his grip to snarl at him for wanting to talk in the middle of enemy territory where they could easily be seen if they weren't careful. However, his dark eyes ensnared Jazlyn, almost spontaneously, and her voice died in her throat as their eyes locked and held.

"Spots, what's gotten into you lately?" Before she could open her mouth to give a noncommittal answer, he added with exasperation, "No dodging the question either. You and I both know that you're not getting out of this one."

She wanted the earth to swallow her in that moment—anything to keep this conversation from happening because _she decided now was the best time to be embarrassed about her actions._ Instead, Jazlyn sighed and rubbed her face. "Can we do this where we're not exposed? It's making me edgy."

He nodded, letting go of her wrist. "No running away, though."

With barely a grunt of agreement, Jazlyn continued forward, thankful that no guard had decided to show up right then while they talked out in the open like that. Sly let her climb up the vine first before following, and only when the tropical forest surrounded them did Jazlyn finally relax a notch. Granted, they were still in Rajan's backyard, so to speak, and while there weren't any potential threats of guards stumbling upon them, both thieves took a moment to drop their respective packs on the ground at their feet.

Sly leaned against a nearby tree, arms crossed, and a single brow raised as he waited for her to spill her guts out. The snow leopardess didn't think she'd tell him her deepest darkest secrets no matter how much he prodded and pushed her, but she would at least _try_ to explain to him just what possessed her tonight to act this bold. She wasn't at all the former shy and quiet sixteen-year-old who was tortured on a daily basis anymore—she was a thief, the Ghost of Paris, and the only fear she had was getting caught and thrown in prison. She'd evolved the minute her idea to steal for a living came into her head. So, telling Sly she actually liked him and _hated_ the way Neyla dismissed her as if she was wasted space shouldn't be too hard.

 _Oh, what a load of bullshit,_ she sneered inwardly. Outwardly, Jazlyn closed her eyes and took a deep breath—smelling the rich scent of the damp forest floor, the large and exotic flowers blooming overhead and in the bushes.

"So, I've never done…" She opened her eyes and waved her hand in the air in an attempt to describe her behavior with Neyla, "… _anything_ remotely like that before. Ever."

Sly's lips formed a smirk, clearly pleased yet amused at the same time as he said, "Awe, I'm your first territorial experience? I'm honored."

Jazlyn refused to blush at his slight tease and cleared her throat. "All the boys from my high school either thought I was a freak or wouldn't come near me because they were afraid of being dragged down by my bullies. Those who actually _did_ come up to me as either friends or potential dates were always dared by their own buddies." Her voice turned bitter and angry toward the end of her sentence. She laughed humorlessly, "Being sixteen and an orphan, all I wanted was normalcy and to have a boyfriend. What an idiot I was to believe and trust so easily."

The master thief was scowling through her little tangent about her past, probably filing away the information for later. Instead of commenting like she thought he would, Sly motioned for her to continue with his hand that held his cane. Even out of immediate danger, he never set down his family's heirloom which Jazlyn chalked up to an irrational (though probably not illogical) fear of the last piece of his clan's legacy being taken away from him.

"Anyway, I've never felt…territorial. _Ever_. Not until I became a thief and eventually finding a small place of operations that I called mine. I gained confidence after becoming a thief, and I guess that meant gaining some extra aggression when it came to what I considered mine or anyone treating me less than a mammal." Her mouth went dry as she muttered the last bit, "Neyla acted like an arrogant, stuck-up _bitch_ who didn't see me as a threat at all and that pissed me off."

"That, and she was undressing me with her eyes." Sly pushed off the tree's trunk and walked towards her, eyes suddenly so dark they were black, and they pierced her soul. She couldn't move as he invaded her personal space, his free hand cupping her cheek, and his muzzle a hair's breath away from touching hers.

Her breath hitched against her will and her hands fisted at her side despite the extreme urge she had to weave them around his neck or toss his cap to the side so they could tangle into the tuft of hair that hid beneath it. Unaware of her inner turmoil, Sly continued, "Although, it made getting Neyla to help us out a little difficult—" she winced, "—it was totally worth seeing the sexy fire in your eyes as you went toe-to-toe with her."

Jazlyn's heart jumped to her throat at his admission and she felt her knees quiver as her entire body erupted into so many emotions at once that it was hard to decide what to act on first. Elation that he didn't find her sudden change of behavior disconcerting; happiness that he wasn't upset at her for nearly flushing the plan down the drain; shock that he found her territorial showdown with Neyla _sexy,_ of all things; and aroused now that his burning eyes were searing her soul and wanting to devour her whole.

She just might let him.

Everything after that happened so quickly she wasn't sure who had closed the distance first. All she knew was one moment they were staring into each other's gazes with enough heat to spark a fire, and the next, Sly was kissing her so passionately that she barely had the time to jerk her arms up to knock his cap to the side as her fingers tangled into his hair. He was pushing her back into a tree, one hand still cupping her face while the other had dropped his cane to run through her tangling locks. The bark of the tree dug into her back and shoulders as he held her there, taking full control over their make-out session.

The snow leopardess purred in the back of her throat as Sly's tongue licked her bottom lip, asking for permission to enter, and she obliged by dragging his tongue into her mouth with her own. He groaned a little as they battled for dominance before she eventually relented because his hand had found her ear and was massaging it gently between a thumb and forefinger—sending shivers down her spine because her ears had always been sensitive. Triumphant over his victory, he explored her moist cavern with vigor while her hands travelled more than just his thick tuft of hair. She touched his sharp jawline, felt the lean muscle of his pectorals and abdomen, and lifted his shirt to make contact with the set of abs she'd seen in brief moments when they were changing in the tight confines of the gang's van.

He didn't purr—his vocal chords didn't have that capacity like hers did—but it was damn near close as she massaged his abs, loving the feel of the muscles straining against her touch. His knee pushed between her legs, spreading them slightly apart to allow him closer access to her own body as his right hand moved away from her cheek to trace a fiery path down to the waist band of her shorts. Jazlyn couldn't help it then—especially after his tongue caressed a sharp canine—she moaned into his mouth. She could feel his lips upturn into a half-smile as his hand played with her short's outer edge—teasing her relentlessly despite how desperate she was for him to touch her skin with his.

Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be.

" _Guys? Are you okay?"_ Bentley's nasal voice echoing in her ear broke the spell of the moment, and both snow leopardess and raccoon barely held back their frustrated groans as they pulled apart.

"Yeah, Bentley," Sly replied, his breathing only a little uneven as he assured the turtle that they hadn't been captured or anything. "We got a little…sidetracked." He smirked at her and Jazlyn rolled her eyes playfully back.

" _Was it difficult to get away and change back into your normal gear?"_ She felt bad for making the turtle and the hippo worry about them, but there were just some things you couldn't put off no matter how hard you try.

Jazlyn bit her lip to keep from giggling as she replied, "No, it was more difficult finding a spot where peeking toms couldn't see."

Sly winked in response.

" _Okay, well, hurry back. We still need to go over plans to steal the drawbridge keys."_

"Will do, pal," Sly said, his eyes focused entirely on her despite the turtle informing them that Murray had caught some fish, cooked it, and was protecting their share from the still hungry hippo.

Even after another reassurance from both thieves, Bentley stressed that they be careful on their way back before severing the connection. Jazlyn barely had time to comment that the green turtle sure did worry a lot for someone his size, when Sly's lips touched hers again. The kiss was more gentle and slow than scorching and rough, and Jazlyn couldn't help the happy mewl that escaped her mouth as he brushed his tongue against her left eyetooth with great attention before pulling away.

She blinked at him, completely aware of his pleased smirk and his apparent handiwork at making her feel like she was lacking a brain she was so floored by what just transpired. But there was no doubt about it—they'd kissed and while she didn't really admit to liking him and vice versa, actions spoke louder than words in most cases. She knew that Sly could have simply acted due to physical attraction and may not develop a deeper feeling than that, but Jazlyn couldn't help but think that wasn't at all the case.

At least, that's what she was hoping.

"C'mon, we better get going before Bentley calls again," Sly said, chuckling as he reached down to pick up his cane.

Jazlyn shook her head to clear it and grasped the handle of her bag. "Before you decided to assault me again," she teased, having found the confidence to do so only after taking a few deep breaths, "I never realized how much of a worrywart he was."

 _Despite me having only joined and nearly messing up my first job as a part of the gang,_ was left unsaid but Sly wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "Bentley won't hold you captive despite what happened. Everyone screws up every now and again."

"Good to know," she murmured, then paused as a thought occurred to her. "I wonder if Bentley and Murray have stories about _your_ first time thieving?"

Sly stilled, locked into place like a kid having been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Jazlyn's smirk grew wide and mischievous, and before the raccoon could come up with something to say, she was already bounding away at full speed and leaving laughter in her wake.

* * *

 **I actually updated on time for once ha! Let me just pat myself on the back for remembering to update before Saturday.**

 **Anyway, I hope y'all enjoyed the kiss that was a long time coming lol. I would also like to take the time and say a thank you to everyone who has liked, reviewed, and followed this story. I'm glad that y'all like the story so far and will continue to enjoy it as chapters are slowly but surely added. It always makes me smile whenever I get an email when someone follows, favs, or reviews my stories. Thanks again for just being awesome people. :)**

 **I'll see y'all soon with another chapter! Have a good weekend!**

 **~Delyth**


	11. Of Clashes and Brawls

_**Okay, wow. It's been a really long time since I last update. I'm not one for excuses, especially when I have a lot of chapters already written and the story planned out to the T.**_

 _ **Before I explain, I'd like to apologize for not only my absence, but not updating as much as I know y'all liked (and not as much as I like either). That being said, this past semester I have been hitting the ground running at college as it's my senior year and I had**_ _ **a lot**_ _ **to do before the end. I'm an English Education major so you can imagine the stress I was under. I barely had time to write**_ _ **at all**_ _ **which absolutely KILLS me.**_

 _ **However, because I have a majority of this story written and I feel terrible for the long absence, I'll be updating twice this week. Once today and again on Sunday, December 9**_ _ **th**_ _ **. So, make sure you're either following this story or myself to get notified about updates!**_

 _ **I haven't given up on this story and I don't plan to, so don't worry! Please enjoy this chapter and leave a review on how you felt! I accept all constructive criticism as I'm still growing and maturing as a writer. Also, please forgive any typos or mistakes here as it's been awhile since I last looked at this chapter. (If you see one, drop a review and let me know!)**_

 _ **~Delyth**_

* * *

 _Chapter Ten_

 _Of Clashes and Brawls_

Jazlyn stretched carefully in her perch on a nearby tree, hidden within the shrubbery and thick branches that provided the perfect camouflage for her lighter fur. She watched the three guards patrolling around a fountain stationed in front of a dilapidated, though, clearly functional security station that monitored cameras both in the ballroom and around the guest house. It was also the same place that communicated and controlled the security SUV armed with missiles and a chopper that had enough firepower to make anyone nervous. She pulled the binocucom Bentley had given her, which was outfitted with a camera, communication connected directly to the turtle's laptop, and served as binoculars.

She had to give the genius turtle credit for creating the gadget and told him so when he handed her a black one made specially for her. Theirs only had the camera and communication modifications, while hers not only had that but also the ability to set a waypoint for the guys to follow straight to her position. Bentley said she could point at any digital device and give him a direct scan of the computer system's "nervous system" before he'd have to dive into its hardware to hack. When she asked why hers had a few extra modifications, the brains of the outfit simply replied that she was probably the only one who could handle getting close to a computer, tag it, scan, and begin navigating the computer's system while Bentley guided her.

"In theory," he said when she raised an eyebrow.

Bentley had given her a job to do while Sly snatched the keys and replaced them with the decoys on the guards. She was to infiltrate Rajan's security headquarters for Bentley to hack the computers and gain access to the winch during the heist. Before the turtle would come to do his part, he needed the secret code to unlock the boardroom's doors where he and Murray would enter from. However, Sly needed to let the drawbridge down before they could come in and Murray needed to take down the chopper first. If they waited until the alarm was sent out from the headquarters that the computers had been hacked, the SUV and helicopter would be even more strict in their patrols.

"The minute the computers are hacked," Jazlyn told the Cooper gang in their safehouse as she explained the security regulations to them, "The helicopter will make a narrower patrol circuit which will make it difficult for Murray to gain access to the old turret you were telling us about, Bentley. He'll need to get rid of that chopper first, as it's the biggest threat."

Sly's brow furrowed in thought as he asked, "Why not take out both the chopper and SUV at the same time? If we get rid of the chopper, won't the SUV become harder to take down, too?"

She was already shaking her head before the last word exited his mouth. "The SUV serves as the tank for the ground forces. While it is true that with the destruction of the air security, the SUV's patrol will become more focused on unfamiliar presences. It'll have to concentrate on both the sky and ground at the same time, and since it's piloted by mammals who are bound to make mistakes, there's a higher chance of Bentley's plan to be successful."

The fact that Bentley had agreed with her at all was not only a new feeling of pride and happiness, but she _liked_ helping the turtle form plans.

After he'd received the decoy keys from Bentley, Sly intercepted her just outside their safehouse as she headed toward her own job's starting point. His fingers brushed a strand away from her face and he cupped her cheek. "Try not to get caught out there, okay?"

She'd grinned at him before pecking him on the lips with a giggle. Before he could pull her back in his arms for retaliation, Jazlyn had darted toward the bustling stream to make her way to the security house.

Now, sitting in her perch, she narrowed her eyes as she counted the steps it took for each guard to make their rounds. This was her element—watching, observing, then infiltrating the target building with no one the wiser. She was the Ghost of Paris and Jazlyn lived by that moniker—reveling in the sense of completion because it represented not only the _new_ Jazlyn, but it connected her to her heritage.

The snow leopardess took a deep breath, relaxing her muscles, and silencing her breathing to the point that she could barely hear it whispering pass her nose and lips. With a single jump, Jazlyn landed in the next tree closest to the fountain and the branch barely dipped from her silent landing. She leapt to another tree then another and another until she was right beneath the window Jazlyn would use as a way in. Subconsciously, she counted the steps of the guards as she began picking the lock on the window, her fingers steady and working quickly. The branch she was crouched on wasn't at all covered by leaves or other smaller branches, and the guards walking in circles by the fountain could easily spot her if she wasn't careful.

A soft click of the lock unlatching made her ears perk and she grinned as she lifted the window before sliding inside. She checked the immediate area for hostiles then closed the window and relocking it. Her feet whispered along the hardwood as she headed down a set of stairs leading to the guards' breakroom where Bentley said the secret code was.

She didn't dare speak until she was closer to possible cover points in case a guard headed her way. So far, there wasn't a single rhino, goat, or chimp insight, but the tension in her shoulders refused to leave as her ears swiveled along her head, listening intently to the dead silence. Her fur along the back of her neck and arms stood on end as she tiptoed in the dark. At the end of the long staircase, she could see a light from a torch in the archway and froze, tilting her head to the side for a peek. There wasn't anyone there and she let loose a small breath as she entered the surrounding light.

The break room Rajan's guards used looked like an old saloon with roughen, wooden tables and chairs spread across the entire length of the area. On one side there looked like what appeared to be a stage of some kind and several pieces of music equipment, which not only bemused the snow leopardess but made her curious as well. Who would've thought the bad guy's henchmen were musical lovers? She shrugged as she glanced to the right, taking note of the small pool that had a miniature waterfall of some kind and drained through a tunnel. Why they had a shallow pool in the break room dumbfounded Jazlyn, but she only shook her head and decided that it wasn't really any of her business.

In the center of the room there was a small, lasered-off section that held an iron safe and what appeared to be some sort of computer-generated security system for the boardroom. Intrigued and itching to unlock the safe in there, Jazlyn began checking underneath the tables for a code.

"Bentley?" She murmured, pulling herself back up after not finding the password from the first table.

" _Yes, Jazlyn?"_ The turtle sounded a little distracted to say the least, but that was considered a given since there were three different jobs happening at once.

"How're the others doing?" More importantly, she needed to know that Sly was doing alright and while she knew it was ridiculous to worry—after all, the raccoon could take care of himself—she couldn't help but fret. It made her paranoid and Jazlyn was plenty paranoid by herself without being anxious about the master thief's safety. She just hoped that this budding relationship of theirs wouldn't get them all into trouble.

" _Sly unlocked the drawbridge about ten minutes ago and Murray is in the middle of a gun-fight with the helicopter. I'm preparing a program that will scan the security computer's system for the boardroom at a faster rate than doing it manually. I take it you're in the guards' break room?"_

She nodded despite that he couldn't see her as she searched another table without much result. "Yeah, searching for the code to punch into the laser barrier that's blocking me from the security system."

" _I didn't realize that they would bother to secure the security system, but I surmise they most likely prepared ahead of time in case we decided to make things difficult."_

"It's possible," she told the turtle, crawling under another table and beginning to grow a little frustrated at the number of tables she's looked under and finding squat. She still had at least fifteen more to check before resorting to look under the chairs. "Though, I doubt they _just_ decided to implement these security measures. Considering that Rajan is extremely paranoid, I have a feeling he created this steep security regime long before Sly decided to wage war on the Klaww Gang."

" _True."_ He paused, and she could vaguely hear the sounds of his fingers stopping their rhythmic typing. _"You mentioned that before—war. Why do you insist in describing it that way?"_

"Because believe it or not, Bentley, Sly decided to go after the Klaww Gang because they stole the Clockwerk parts. He's made a huge mess of Dimitri's counterfeit operation and halted the spread of spice in his club. Now, he's going after the spice lord who I think has a greater role than we initially thought. I don't know about you, but this sounds like war to me. Ya know, minus the thousands of dead bodies and gunfire and all that." Though, they were plenty close to having potential gunfire and explosions when it came to heists and avoiding the police. Bleh, close enough.

" _I don't think of it that way. I see it as Sly preventing an evil creature from returning to the living and moving on with his life. Clockwerk's shadow has never really disappeared from Sly no matter what he's tried. If he can destroy the parts for good, I believe he'll be able to truly move on."_

Jazlyn was silent at that, thinking. She never saw it that way since she was an outsider and hadn't spent nearly as much time with the Cooper gang to know that their first real series of heists had been so personal for Sly. She knew what Clockwerk did and understood that Sly felt obligated to take back his family's legacy, but she never thought about the aftermath. Never realized that the raccoon would have to find himself again after avenging his parents and taking back the _Thievius Raccoonus_. Then, having to learn that the parts of his clan's lifelong enemy had surfaced once again probably put him in a state of shock and determination to prevent the owl from returning. She only saw his fight with the Klaww Gang as a war—two sides fighting over a prize in this case—rather than seeing Sly protecting not only himself but the world from Clockwerk's evil from spreading again.

A heavy set of footsteps brought her back from her reverie with a jerk and she nearly cracked her head on the table to get a better look at the new occupant. She grimaced, taking in the large rhino and his sharp horn that stood proud on his snout as he surveyed the room. At his side, attached to his left hip, was a set of swords that dangled and clinked together as he moved. In his right hand was a torch that he used to search the room and Jazlyn ducked back under the table and held her breath. She couldn't believe her luck. Hiding under tables wasn't a big problem since it provided some cover, but the drawback was almost every suspicious enemy, or guard, checked under the tables for possible intruders.

There was no way she'd be able to take on a fully-grown male rhino, even if she was at full strength, and the only way to avoid a confrontation would be to stay hidden or find better cover while he did his search. She wondered if he was here because of Murray's success in destroying the 'copter. Either way, she'd have to be careful.

Then, she realized that the table she was hiding under had the access code she'd been looking for just as the guard started to pass her. She nearly yelled in triumph as she carefully shifted around until she procured a notepad and pen to write it down. Jazlyn didn't sigh in relief as the rhino continued to the other end without checking under any of the tables, and she waited until he was nearly out of the room again to leave her hiding spot.

"Bentley," she said, jogging over to the laser-blocked doorway and punching in the code to deactivate it. "I've got the code and I'm in the security base for the boardroom."

" _Good, Sly should be heading over there to provide some backup and Murray just finished off the 'copter. Point your binocucom to the system and I'll send the program."_

Jazlyn did what he asked and hoped that it worked as she pointed it in the direction of the computer. She blinked as it whirred to life and the screen turned green with a symbol that looked vaguely like Bentley's profile. "I think it's working."

" _I knew it would work,"_ he said, sounding almost smug about it. _"I'm going to meet Murray at the drawbridge and we'll head in your direction as soon as we can."_

"Roger," she replied, pocketing the binocucom and turning her attention to the safe that was clearly bolted down to the floor. Her fingers drummed at her side as she debated with herself—to pick or not to pick the lock? That was the question. In the end, curiosity got the best of her and she pulled out her lockpicking kit.

Before she could start, the fur on the back of her neck stood to attention, and Jazlyn whirled around, claws fully extended, and nearly clawed Sly's face off. Luckily for him, his reflexes were well on par as he caught her wrist with ease and smirked. He wasn't at all fazed by the fact that she could've torn his face to shreds or at her hostile response. Granted, he shouldn't be sneaking up on her when she was in the middle of enemy territory anyway!

She sheathed her claws and frowned, both exasperated and angry at him for startling her. However, before she could say a word, Sly's lips crashed against hers with such force and passion that she completely forgot that she was mad at him. His fingers curled around the end of her braid and tugged at it while his other hand cupped her face. She refused to be putty in his paws though and met his tongue bravely as it entered her mouth. She tugged the appendage closer to her moist cavern, warring for dominance while her hands pulled and kneaded at his shirt because _damn it, she wanted to feel the lean muscles hidden beneath it._

His chuckle rumbled in her mouth as she fumbled to pull the damn fabric out from his pants but to no avail. Frustrated, Jazlyn pulled away and nearly ripped the shirt in half only for the raccoon himself to divert her attention away once again. Despite her indignation at him for starting that passionate kiss in the first place and then _ending it_ , she was very pleased with herself when his voice came out a little huskier and breathy. "Can't keep your hands to yourself, huh, Spots?"

Jazlyn was only confused for a second at his drastic change in topic but realized with a rather sheepish smile that he was talking about the safe behind her. She turned her back slightly to him and picked up her lockpicks she'd dropped in favor of protecting herself from a possible assailant. "Don't you want to know what's inside there? 'Cuz I sure do."

Sly eyed the safe with the same amount of curiosity as her but shook his head. "Job first _then_ we can loot the safe."

"I'm surprised you'd focus on the job first instead of cracking the safe open." She didn't bother to hide the incredulity in her voice or her amusement.

"Ha-ha," he rolled his eyes. "I don't know about you, Spots, but we have to change sceneries."

Jazlyn raised an eyebrow, but nevertheless shrugged as she placed her lockpicks back in their pouch attached to her thigh. She glanced up at the open ceiling—the rafters a perfect stepping stone for the two thieves to climb up and reach the boardroom where the security computers were in. Without another word, she hopped on top of the safe and leapt to the nearest rafter where she pulled herself up with a grunt. Jazlyn frowned, she was going to have to build up strength again in her arms if it was hard to climb up without some assistance from her legs.

"Everything alright?" Sly called from below and she nearly turned around to snap at him for practically yelling when there were guards just outside the break room. Instead, she gave him a thumbs-up and hopped her way across until she reached the ledge of the security area.

As she climbed over the stone guard rail, the door to the far right slammed open, making her wince, and both Murray and Bentley entered. Shaking her head in fond exasperation, Jazlyn tried to stop from laughing as Murray started to get pumped at the nearing fight—after all, Bentley said, once he started hacking the mainframe, guards would start showing up. Sly had just made it to the platform when Bentley began hacking the password encrypted computers.

Her body tensed, this was going to be the difficult part. Murray, Sly, and Jazlyn were in charge of protecting the green turtle while he hacked both computers. They couldn't allow one single enemy through their line of defense, and the snow leopardess already knew the fight was going to be tough since she hadn't reached her full stamina yet.

She took a deep breath.

Bentley's fingers began flying over the keyboards behind them as they formed a semi-circle around him.

Her ears twitched—running footsteps hurrying toward them. "At least five guards are coming."

"Only five," Murray snorted, "That's no problem for The Murray."

"I doubt it'll just be them, big guy," Sly said, chuckling as he flipped his cane in his hand in anticipation.

Jazlyn sighed despite the smile twitching at her lips as she pulled both _fu tao_ swordsfrom their sheaths. She slid into her ready stance, legs shoulder-width apart and bent slightly and one arm held above her head while the other was thrusted out in front of her. Her eyes narrowed as the entrance to the security room slammed opened from the kick of a goat who was wielding a pair of daggers. Behind him, three monkeys carrying various weapons and another goat with black fur rushed after their leader.

Murray, unable to stay still, rushed forward to meet them while Sly and Jazlyn moved to cover the empty space in their defense. Her ears twitched to the left and without hesitation, her body twirled to dodge the wooden staff that had been aimed at her head and slammed her swords down on the monkey's skull. Yelping, he fell back, completely disoriented from the hit, but before Jazlyn could knock him out, another guard quickly took his place.

Armed with a pole that was lit with fire and holding a jug of some kind of liquid, Jazlyn didn't realize the immediate danger until searing heat aimed at her face made her eyes water. She jumped to the side, felt the fire singe the fur on her left side, and snarled as she rushed him. If he had to take a swig of the accelerant in order to breath fire, then his weakness was close range combat. Her eyes glowed in the torch's flickering light as she lowered her body to dodge his swipe of the burning staff, and when his side was open, Jazlyn planted her right foot and jabbed the hilt guard into his stomach. His air left him in a whoosh and she smirked as she swiped his legs out from under him, knocking him out with a hard hit near his temple.

Around her, the sounds of fighting continued. Grunts and yelps from Murray literally pummeling his opponents like a heavy-weight boxer; and the echoing thumps and cracks of a golden-tipped cane smashing into skulls, soft spots, and the occasional clashing of metal against metal. Jazlyn didn't have time to check on her companions as a goat with twin daggers tried to slash her face open—like she was ever going to experience that kind of pain again. She already got the T-shirt for that one.

She met his daggers with her _fu tao_ , the hook at the tip of the sword catching them and holding them into place, much to the stocky brown goat's chagrin. Jazlyn used her free sword to hook the goat's leg and jerked _hard_ until he had no choice but to fall toward her. His grip on his daggers loosened as he desperately tried to regain his balance, and she used this opportunity to return the favor of his near face slash by swiping the sharp edge of the crescent hilt guard down on the male's cheek. Howling, he grabbed at his face to stop the bleeding, but Jazlyn was already moving again as she wedged her foot in-between them and shoved him away and into a group of guards heading her way.

At the comical domino effect, the snow leopardess laughed. Behind her and clearly not as amused as she was by the spectacle, Bentley said, "Try to keep your mind focused on the task at hand, Jaz—Ghost."

She spared a glance over her shoulder, shrugging at the turtle who was still concentrating on the computer screen in front of him. "You worry about hacking the terminals and let me deal with the goon squad."

He didn't say anything at that, but she heard him mumble, "Just three more levels and we're clear."

Jazlyn shrugged again and rejoined the fray. Instinctively, her left arm came up to block a blow to the head and without pausing in her forward momentum, she slashed the lanky monkey against the side hard enough that she heard a few ribs give. Her opponent wheezed as his grip on the staff loosened and he stumbled backwards, clutching his side as he tried to catch his breath. She didn't have a single ounce of pity to give as she kicked him in the head to knock him out and moved on to the next enemy.

She'd found her rhythm despite her quivering arms from blocking powerful blows and holding her _fu taos_ for so long. Her endurance wasn't the same after spending so long on bedrest and she was definitely going to be sore tomorrow. Despite the swarm of Rajan's henchmen, Jazlyn was having the time of her life—her blood pumped erratically throughout her entire body as she whirled, deflected, and struck like a coiled snake. Her limbs moved smoothly from one kata to the next—ever moving, never pausing. She was dancing to the beat of her heartbeat, her eyes glimmering with glee and mischief as she weaved between two goats aiming for her jugular at the same time. They crashed into each other, their limbs tangling and the daggers clinking to the ground and spinning out of their collective reach.

Dimly, she could hear Bentley telling them that he was in the last terminal as she laughed at Murray picking a chimpanzee by the collar and using him as a bowling ball to knock down the reinforcements who were entering the room. His triumphant grin was contagious as Sly slapped high-fives and turned to look over his shoulder to give her a wink. Jazlyn didn't bother to hide her teeth as she flashed them in a pearly white smile.

"I'm unstoppable! I've got complete access to the winch!" By the time the green turtle had finished hacking into the final system, Jazlyn gave the last evil henchman a concussion from a jab in the back of the head. He was aiming for Bentley's exposed back and just as the chimp raised an arm to give a vertical swipe from his staff, Jazlyn's crescent guard was already connecting with his skull.

Startled by the heavy weight of the chimp, Bentley yelped away from the unconscious body and gawked at her standing over him with a teasing smile. "Unstoppable, huh?"

He shook his head, his eyes unwavering from the chimp's comatose form. Stuttering, the turtle said, "T-t-thank you."

Jazlyn placed her beloved _fu tao_ swords back in their sheaths and wiped her hands clean of invisible dust. "No problem. D'you get what we need?"

He nodded as Sly and Murray came to a stop on either side of her. Murray seemed quite pleased with himself as he beamed at the amount of bodies lying around in piles from their handiwork. Jazlyn shared a mirthful glance with the raccoon, who made it a point to brush his arm against hers.

"Right, now that we have access to the winch," Bentley began, clearing his throat. "Murray, we should get out of here while the coast is clear and set up the remote access to the winch at the safehouse."

The hippo grinned, "You got it, pal! Let's get going!"

Both Bentley and Murray turned to head out the door while Jazlyn and Sly stayed behind. She met his heated stare and winked. Before he could make a grab for her, she leapt out of the way with a taunting laugh and jogged toward the hippo and turtle. Like Hell was he not going to pay for riling her up earlier only to stop at the last second. She could _hear_ his pout as he followed lazily behind them, but Jazlyn glanced over her shoulder to smirk as she purposefully sashayed her hips a little more.

 **~o~**

"You need _what?_ " Jazlyn gawked at the green turtle who stood unyieldingly at her incredulous stare as he explained their next move. She tried to keep herself from rubbing her eyes to make sure she wasn't seeing things as the picture of Rajan's prized elephants covered the projector screen. They were the biggest elephants Jazlyn had ever seen in her life—how could anything be that _huge?_

Unfazed, Bentley simply repeated his statement as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "We need to make a sawblade durable and sharp enough to cut the Clockwerk wings from the statue. The jewels in Rajan's prized elephants' headdresses will be perfect."

She turned to Murray in the hopes for a voice of reason, but the hippo was already excited by the prospects of taking on an elephant than what Bentley suggested as ludicrous and crazy. Still hoping there was at least someone else besides her who saw this, Jazlyn turned to Sly who held his chin in the palm of his paw. He met her gaze with cool indifference and smirked cockily at her. Her blood boiled as the raccoon said, "So, if we need these jewels to make the saw, how do we get them off the headdress?"

Cool as a cucumber who went along with whatever Bentley said when it came to plans because the turtle was a genius at strategy. Jazlyn threw her hands up in the air and stood from her chair to grab the security plans. If they were going to go along with this reckless idea, then she was going to at least keep them from dying because of it.

She rubbed her right temple while her other hand shifted through papers, searching for the one that discussed housing and protection of the Bengal tiger's elephants. Bentley waited without complaint while she grabbed the security protocols and allowed her to explain instead. Pinching the bridge of her snout, Jazlyn looked at the three crazy masterminds of dozens of heists that had plenty of theatrics involved and knew she shouldn't have bothered to question Bentley's plan.

"Alright," the snow leopardess began with a defeated sigh, "The elephants are housed in a special stall that is near the drawbridge entrance. They are able to roam freely within the stall so getting them out should be simple enough—if you don't mind crawling underneath the wooden floorboards." Sly raised an eyebrow, beckoning for her to continue with a hand. She pulled out another sheet of paper that had the schematics for the elephants' luxury barn for all three mammals to see. "There's a crawlspace between the floorboards and the actual ground. I don't understand the reasoning behind that idea, so don't bother asking. Sly should be able to crawl under there and cause enough ruckus that it'll spook the elephants into breaking down the door."

"Are there any guards outside?" Bentley asked, crossing his arms.

Jazlyn shook her head. "They'll be patrolling around the area, but they're not stationed outside."

Sly smirked, leaning back in his chair with his legs crossed at the ankles. "Piece of cake."

She snorted, "Yeah, until said elephants decide to smash you into smithereens if you annoy them enough, Cooper. These elephants are aggressive and easily provoked. If you're going to be aiming at the crown jewels on their heads, you'll need to be mindful of their trunks."

"Don't worry, Spots." He pulled at her arm until she stumbled into his lap, much to her astonishment and mortification. Neither one had mentioned to Murray or Bentley that their friendship blossomed into something _more,_ and she didn't like being placed on the spot like this. Especially since she didn't know how either one would react to such an announcement.

Bentley's eyebrows rose to the brim of his safari hat and Murray only laughed at the look on her face, completely carefree and oblivious. She was sitting ramrod straight in Sly's lap, and the raccoon couldn't have cared less by the display of affection as he wrapped both arms around her waist to pull her further into his chest. Heart sputtering to life and heat flushing her cheeks, Jazlyn cleared her throat and tried to redirect the turtle's attention elsewhere.

"S-so, um, you were saying about the next set of plans, Bentley? After we get the materials for the sawblade, you'll take the RC chopper and take out the SUV?"

Slowly, Bentley nodded, still eying Sly and Jazlyn as he returned his focus to the projector. "After Sly completes his job, I'll head out to get rid of the SUV with my trusty RC chopper. If what you've learned about the ground security holds up, the SUV will have to divide its attention to both ground and air activity. This will distract it enough for me to take it out without much trouble. What worries me is Rajan's men finding my location while I'm dealing with the SUV."

Sly hummed thoughtfully, resting his chin on her shoulder and sending shivers down her spine. "You'll need to get to high ground to prevent the foot patrol from finding you. There was a large light tower near the guest villa that should do."

Jazlyn elbowed the raccoon in the ribs, which made him move his head away from her shoulder long enough for her to think coherently, but it gave him the excuse to massage her left hip instead. She huffed and ignored her cheeks as they began to ache from all the blushing. "The security house won't be able to have access with the kind of tech to zoom in on your position completely, Bentley. Your main concern should be on taking down that SUV tank and getting back safely." She tilted her head, a sudden thought coming to the forefront. "Actually, Sly should gather those jewels tonight while there's still chaos. Most of the patrolmen will be at the main security HQ trying to figure out where we are instead doing patrol. If the elephants were to break out of their pens, it'll add to the chaos—"

"—And give us the upper hand in the final heist," Bentley finished. "Good thinking, Jazlyn. Sly, you should head out now before the sun rises in the next four hours."

Jazlyn tried not to show how happy she was to be out of his lap as he released his hold. She maneuvered easily to lean against the table without appearing too flustered and prided in herself for not gaping like an idiot when Sly pecked her on the cheek before exiting the safehouse. Her entire neck, face, and ears felt like they'd been lit on fire as Bentley watched the interaction with a calculated stare. Murray wasn't dubious anymore as he looked between the snow leopardess and the retreating form of his raccoon buddy.

She wanted to disappear into the floor and never come out again.

But before she did that, Jazlyn was going to slaughter that devious raccoon when he got back.

Murray spoke first, his voice soft. "Are you and Sly…?"

"We just kissed last night," she whispered, slumping against the table and feeling like she was about to be interrogated— _again_. Great.

"Oh," the hippo said, and she couldn't see his face without turning around, but she could hear his confusion. "So, do you like Sly?"

Bentley remained silent throughout their conversation, willing to let his much bigger friend take the lead while Jazlyn sweated it out. She did like Sly but revealing something private and personal like that was difficult. Hell, the Cooper gang didn't even know the full extent of her past other than small tidbits here and there. And she really did like all of them—they'd become a family of sorts in the weeks she'd spent with them, but she didn't want to get hurt again or hurt _them_ by doing anything that might harm their friend.

She rubbed her head. There she goes again—off in circles once more. After several minutes, Jazlyn shifted until she could make eye contact with both males. "Yeah…I like him."

"Does he know?" Bentley spoke up then. His eyes laser-like as they studied her face.

"Maybe? I don't really know, but last night…after that whole interaction with Neyla—it just kinda happened?"

"You don't plan to hurt him, do you?" He asked bluntly, adjusting his square-rimmed glasses.

Jazlyn laughed humorlessly, her green eyes showing the hidden pain from past "relationships" briefly for the turtle to see. "I'm more afraid of myself getting hurt than the other way around. If it'll make you feel better: No, I don't ever wanna hurt him anymore than the two of you." Her lips quirked up into a half-smile. "You've kinda grown on me."

Murray suddenly pulled her into a bone-crushing hug and all the air left her body in a single forced exhale. "Aw, don't worry, Jaz! Sly wouldn't do anythin' to hurt ya!"

 _Ever the optimistic no matter what the situation,_ she thought with a smile. _Just like a child._

"Thanks, Murray," Jazlyn choked out with what little air she had left.

Bentley chuckled and headed for the table for his laptop and headset to talk with Sly. "Murray. Air."

Without further ado, the giant pink hippo released Jazlyn and her lungs could finally inflate again. Her legs collapsed under her, but before she could hit the floor, Murray grabbed her by the shoulders to place her in a chair gently. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, apologizing for nearly crushing her to death. "I forget to hold back my strength. I didn't bother any of your injuries, did I?"

She patted his arm. "No, no. If anything, you popped a few vertebrae that needed it—my back's been rather tense lately. Thanks, Murray."

He grinned back. Jazlyn and the pink hippo tried to see over Bentley's shoulders to watch what was going on the screen while Sly did his job. The turtle rolled his eyes at them as he directed Sly to the crawlspace hidden under a porch.

"That should be it, Sly. What do you see? Anything that might draw out the—" Before Bentley could finish his sentence, there were a series of loud stomping and trumpeting through the speakers. Startled, Jazlyn latched onto the table and prayed that the floorboards didn't collapse under a pair of stampeding elephants.

" _Well,"_ Sly's bemused voice greeted them from Bentley's laptop speakers. _"That's one way to draw out elephants."_

"Are you alright, Sly?" Bentley asked for the three of them since neither Jazlyn nor Murray had a mic for the raccoon to hear their response.

" _Yeah, just scared a bunch of mice into crawling through the cracks of the crawlspace. They did most of the work."_ Jazlyn rolled her eyes at his chuckle.

"Okay, good work. Now, the jewels have been welded down to the headdresses. You'll need to dislodge them by hitting them repeatedly," Bentley explained as he pulled up information on the headdresses.

Jazlyn grabbed the headset despite the turtle's loud protests and reminded the ringtail, "Try not to get swatted off like a fly, Sly. I doubt any of us want to deal with another set of bruised and possible cracked ribs right now."

" _Roger that, Spots."_ Before she could make another comment, he ended the transmission. She huffed and handed the headset back to Bentley who grumbled under his breath incoherently. Now, they just had to wait, and Jazlyn prayed the raccoon just came back in one piece.

So, she could slaughter him for throwing her under the bus like that.


	12. Reign of Terror

_Chapter Eleven_

 _Reign of Terror_

" _Alright, I've made it into position,"_ Bentley's nasal voice echoed in her ears as she monitored his progress from the safehouse. After Sly had returned with six _heavy_ red diamonds from the prized elephants earlier that morning, the turtle had explained their next course of action for the heist. Obviously, he needed to take down the SUV before they could begin the heist, but to do that Bentley would need a safe spot for him to remote control the RC Chopper without being discovered.

While Sly was finishing up with the elephants, Jazlyn had left the safehouse to scout for a good spot for the turtle. The raccoon had mentioned the tower by the guest villa, but she wanted to make sure there weren't any other spots closer to the drawbridge to keep Bentley from having to make such a difficult journey into enemy territory. In the end, Sly was right—the light house across the bridge dividing the main estate from the guest house was the best view point for Bentley. When she had returned and explained to the turtle, he had paled but there was a spark of determination in his gaze as he accepted the news with a resigned sigh.

Jazlyn wanted to ensure that the genius had an easy trip to the waypoint, and she took the time to map out the best route for Bentley before Sly returned. She'd memorized the patrol routes of every guard and told Bentley that his best bet was to take a back route she'd discovered while searching for a way for him to make it to the guest villa safely. Of course, it required a certain master thief to carry the turtle on his back over a tight rope, but it was better than dodging countless armed guards who could easily take out a green turtle like Bentley with ease.

"Alright," she said, ignoring Murray trying to peer over her shoulder to watch the computer screen. "The SUV is making its way to the guest villa—that'll be your cue to start bombing the shit out of it, Bentley. Remember: it's outfitted with heat-seeking missiles and they'll be aiming at the chopper as soon as you start bombing it. Best way to dodge those would be to make a sharp turn at the last second."

" _The RC Chopper is making its way to the target now. Keep me informed on the guards' location, Jazlyn."_

She could still hear the mild fear in his voice being so close to minor henchmen who patrolled the roofs, and the snow leopardess hummed an affirmation.

" _You'll be alright, pal. I'll be waiting nearby just in case,"_ Sly said, voice ever chipper despite the fact he was waiting on a rooftop closest to the inevitable carnage.

Rolling her eyes, she reminded him, "Try not to get too cocky, Sly. Remember, you hurt a few of your ribs last night getting those jewels. Don't try to overdue anything."

She didn't bother to hide the 'I told you so' tone in her voice this time after Murray and Bentley both informed her that the raccoon tended to ignore his body's injuries in favor of getting the job done. Which she found was hypocritical of him since he made her stay on bedrest an extra week and was hesitant to agree with her when she started building up her endurance again. Especially after he came back with the jewels an hour before sunrise and stumbled all over the place trying to keep from dropping anything and falling over from the pain in his side. She'd remembered hearing him grunt a few times during the mission, but he always told her it was just him avoiding a trunk or jumping off the elephant's back. Liar.

" _Don't worry so much, Spots. I'll be fine."_

She snorted at him in response, not even bothering to give him a scathing reply as she watched the SUV taking hits from Bentley's RC Chopper. She needed to remember to ask him how he made all of his bombs because they were not only tiny but packed quite the punch.

Murray moved away from Jazlyn's shoulder to continue loading the van for their getaway the following night. He was humming a kid's showtune under his breath as he walked back and forth from the van, and Jazlyn's lips quirked up as she listened to him. Shaking her head, Jazlyn told Bentley, "There're some guards—chimps and goats—heading your way, Bentley. Looks like the SUV got a general idea where you're at, but they won't be able to get to you unless they find a way to climb up there."

" _I'll have to bomb them to keep them off my tail…"_ He murmured thoughtfully, mind still focused on the task at hand.

" _I could cause a distraction, so Bentley could get away,"_ Sly offered and she could already hear him moving away from his position on the roof.

"Oh, no you don't." Jazlyn growled, her right hand clenching into a fist as her temper flared. "You're staying right where you are, Cooper. Those guards can't get up there unless they have a jetpack like Bentley, and you'd only get in the way of his operation. That SUV is driving all over the place and it's hard to track where it might turn next. Also, I highly doubt Murray or Bentley want to scrape a raccoon pancake off the ground."

Sly laughed good-heartedly despite her irritation and she pinched the bridge of her snout. _"Awe, Spots, you do care."_

"Oh, shut up."

" _Embarrassed, Spots? I didn't know you'd blush that easily."_

Oh, he knew _exactly_ how easy it was to make her cheeks flush, the cocky bastard. She tried to ignore his teasing while she tracked the guard activity around Bentley, but her face started to heat up the longer he teased. It wasn't until Bentley finally snapped at him for distracting the turtle and nearly getting the RC Chopper destroyed by a missile did the raccoon finally stop his jeering. Sighing, Jazlyn rubbed her face and counted back from a hundred to calm her heart. It was bad enough that Murray was chuckling at her while he worked, but the fact that Bentley had told Sly to 'keep their lovey-dovey interactions in private' had made her want to crawl under a rock and never come back out.

She jumped as the SUV's explosion played through her headphones. That's what she gets for not paying attention and thinking about other things instead. Refocusing on the task at hand, she helped Bentley navigate his way back to the rendezvous point with Sly after he retrieved his RC Chopper. It was nerve-racking to direct the turtle around a swarm of guards who were heading toward the last known location of the RC Chopper's owner. She had to tell Bentley numerous times to duck and cover in a nearby alley or, on one specific incident, he had to hide underneath the bridge while several rhino guards ran across to search the grounds. It was several long, agonizing minutes before Bentley could make his way over the bridge and to Sly again.

By the time Sly confirmed that he could see the turtle and headed to meet him halfway, Jazlyn was at her wits end. She never, ever wanted to do anything like that again.

After Sly reassured her that they were on their way back, Jazlyn pulled the headset off and began to help Murray set the projector up. Most of their makeshift safehouse was cleared out except for the table and chairs as well as their bags of clothes. She connected the projector to Bentley's laptop while Murray pulled their screen down and against the opposite wall. Jazlyn slumped into her designated chair with a sigh, suddenly weary. Her stomach twisted into knots and her tail twitched behind her in anxiety. She needed to do something—anything to take her mind off the overwhelming sense of foreboding and danger.

Murray paused in his packing and turned slowly to look at the antsy snow leopardess. He may have been a hippo who could handle predators like her with ease, but she was still a carnivore who hunted with sharp claws and teeth. Any wrong or sudden move could set her over the edge, and yet Jazlyn would never hurt him—how could she?—but if driven into a corner, she'd lash out at anyone who approached. Primal instincts tended to trump any and all rational thought when triggered.

She never doubted her instincts—not in all her years as a cub or as a thief—she couldn't. After all, her instincts were what kept her alive all this time, and yet this time she couldn't shake the foreboding away no matter what she did. Jazlyn stood up, wringing her hands and knocking her chair back. Murray jumped at the harsh sound as the chair's fall echoed around them, and he kept a steady, curious and concern stare on her as she began to pace. Something was wrong—she just knew it.

"Murray, how long has it been?" Jazlyn murmured, eying the door to their safehouse with trepidation. Maybe she was becoming too paranoid—she'd been having too many nightmares that often made her jumpy during the waking hours. Bentley and Sly were going to walk through the archway any second now.

He hummed, tilting his head. "Uh, maybe fifteen minutes? Why?"

"It shouldn't be taking them this long—not with the route they were supposed to be taking." Jazlyn grabbed her _fu taos,_ which were leaning against the wall near her bag of clothes, without a thought and strapped them on. She was already heading out the door before Murray could reply and didn't wait for him. His steps were muffled as he jogged to catch up, his breathing heavy as he neared her quick strides.

"What's wrong, Jaz? Maybe Sly and Bentley took another way back."

She shook her head. "Sly would've told me if he was. Something just doesn't feel right, Murray."

"How do you know?" He asked curiously, eyebrows scrunched together as he studied her twitchy form.

Before she could answer, Bentley's cry reached her ears from across the tall grassy meadow they were in. Without another word, Murray and Jazlyn sprinted toward the sound and her blood pumped faster, pushing herself forward quicker than the hippo. She pulled ahead by several feet and tried to ignore the panic and fear that raced through her entire body as she conjured up images of the worst-case scenario. Branches from the underbrush caught her fur and scratched her, but she ignored it all as she skidded to a stop near the cliffside where she found the tightrope Sly had used to take Bentley across.

Glasses mere feet away from his searching hands, Bentley stumbled around on all fours trying to see. His entire body shook like a leaf and she couldn't see his trusty crossbow anywhere—it must've been knocked away as well in the struggle. She could see a bruise forming on the underside of his jaw and there was nothing but pure fear in his eyes as he frantically searched for his glasses so he could help Sly.

Her ears picked up the sounds of fighting long before her gaze was drawn to the source. Jazlyn froze as she watched Sly deflect a blow to his injured ribs from the monster who invaded her dreams at night. Blood matted his fur on his left cheek and his lip was split open, but Sly wasn't at all bothered by the crimson lifeblood dripping down his chin or that his cap had fallen off his head and laid on the ground by the turtle. All his attention was focused solely on the black panther in front of him as Slicer switched his grip on the wicked dagger he wielded with practiced ease.

Her breath shuttered from her lips—panic striking all her bravado down with a single punch to the gut. She couldn't breathe—her heart felt like it was going to beat right out of her chest—her legs felt like noodles. Green eyes were wide as she took in the sparring males in front of her—the helpless turtle still searching for his glasses—the blood slowly spreading along Sly's fur and clothes. Stumbling, Jazlyn caught herself on a nearby tree and tried desperately to catch her breath—to rein in the panic attack before it robbed her completely.

Behind her, Jazlyn could hear Murray crashing through the foliage as he neared them. She turned her head to shout at him to hurry, but her lungs constricted all the air from her and her throat threatened to close completely as she heard Sly yelp. Her neck cracked as she whipped her head around to see what happened, and the minute her eyes landed on Sly's limp form, Jazlyn saw red.

Anger surged through her—blessedly, replacing the helplessness and panic that had locked her in place. Rage at being weak, rage at allowing herself to stay out of the fight, rage at letting Slicer win— _fury_ for giving Slicer the chance to take out Sly and Bentley all because of what he did to her in Paris. What kind of fucking _coward_ was she to allow them to take the beating when it was her fault? Her fault that they'd gotten involved with the hitman and made it easier for him to track them down.

Her fangs caught the moonlight as she lunged forward, unsheathing both _fu tao_ swordsand landing a direct hit on the panther's forearms as they reached to end Sly's life. Slicer stumbled back, surprise flickering in his purple gaze at seeing the snow leopardess alive. With a snarl so vicious, Jazlyn slashed at him again—forcing him back and away from the unconscious raccoon who had risked his safety to save her when she didn't deserve it. And he had also tried to protect her now from having to see Slicer ever again by not calling out for help. The panther had no choice but to dodge the never-ending swings of her blades as she went through the katas. Her form was perfect as she moved with a dancer's fluidity and the fierceness of a tiger out for blood.

"So, you're still breathing, eh? Guess I underestimated you, hellcat," Slicer quipped, barely moving out of the way from a slice to his chest from her crescent guard. He wasn't able to fully avoid a follow-up strike to the shoulder as her right _fu tao_ slammed down. She twisted her grip until the sharp, forked hook caught fur and flesh and _jerked_ as hard as she could.

The black panther howled as blood gushed down his black shirt and he jumped back to gain some breathing room to assess the damage. He whistled between his teeth, his hand fingering the ripped muscle shirt and tissue from her sword. "Impressive. You're a more formidable opponent than the raccoon—especially with your weapon of choice in your hands."

"And you're still an arrogant bastard who's nothing more than a collared dog," Jazlyn spat, eyes burning with her anger as she stood her ground. Out the corner of her eye, Murray was helping Bentley tend to Sly who still laid slumped against a boulder that was a foot away from the cliff's drop-off. She wasn't sure when the hippo had arrived or when he'd given Bentley his glasses and his crossbow, but it didn't matter. He was here now and helping his friends.

"I see your recent death experience hasn't stunted that tongue of yours," the Klaww Gang's enforcer growled, and his eyes flashed dangerously in the dim light of the night.

Jazlyn snorted, "Some 'death experience.' I've had better." _Too many to count, to be honest._

His feet shifted in the dirt and her eyes immediately darted to the movement as her body tensed. "Well then, I guess I'll have to try better next time, kitten."

She shuddered involuntarily at the nickname and barely brought her _fu tao_ swordsup to block his dagger in time. She'd forgotten how fast Slicer was and it nearly costed her. Now, being this close to the boogeyman of her nightmares, she could see the jagged scar from her claws on the left side of his face. Hers weren't nearly as bad since a professional doctor had stitched the cuts, but his were dark and hideous as they dominated his handsome features. Those violet eyes were bordering black they were such a deep purple and they seemed to glitter with manic glee as he added more weight behind his dagger. Metal against metal squealed as Jazlyn gritted her teeth in an effort to keep from falling. Her arms quivered against his weight and the snow leopardess felt her left foot sliding against the dirt and stone from the cliff.

"Even with the scar," he said conversationally, his arms shoving her further back and nearly sending her to her knees, "you've still the beauty renowned for your kind."

Flashing her fangs in a snarl, she ignored his sudden flirtatious attitude and tried to shove him away but to no avail. He chuckled, his lips pulling back to reveal his white teeth in a sadistic grin. Before she could think of a way to avoid it, his foot connected with her stomach and kicked her so hard that the breath was knocked clear from her lungs and she rolled across the ground. Coughing, wheezing, Jazlyn couldn't make out Slicer as he rounded on her to finish the job by shoving her off the cliff. She barely had the time to realize she was almost over the edge until someone yanked her to her feet and behind them. Somehow, she had kept a firm grip on her swords throughout the entire process, and it was only after she understood her precious family heirlooms were still with her that it was Sly who stood between her and Slicer.

Murray was just ahead of Sly while Bentley was slightly to her left and holding his crossbow that was aimed at Slicer. Sly's paw gripped her wrist so tightly that she was beginning to lose feeling in it. His cap had found its way back onto his head and his cane was held out in front of him in a defensive position.

Seeing that he was outnumbered, Slicer only laughed at their defensive line as he sheathed his dagger at his right hip. "It wouldn't be any fun if I took you out _now_." He grinned, his eyes suddenly focused over Sly's shoulder and on her face. "You and I should have time to catch up soon, kitten."

"Over my dead body," Sly snarled, eyes darkening to a smoldering brown.

Slicer flicked his gaze over the ruffled raccoon with boredom. "That can be arranged, Cooper. Be careful what you wish for."

Without any further fanfare, the panther turned on his heel and walked away. They watched him intensely as he made his way to the tightrope and casually made his way over the chasm with confidence. He waved cheekily from the other side before bending down to cut the rope with a single claw. Jazlyn watched as the rope floated away like it was nothing to the waiting void below. By the time she looked back up, Slicer had disappeared, and the panic and fear came surging back like a wave of freezing water.

Her legs collapsed under her and she dropped her swords in favor of wrapping her arms around herself. She tried desperately to keep the tears from falling as her lungs shuddered and her throat began to constrict. Her body instinctively rocked back and forth in an effort to soothe herself, but nothing was working as flashes of that terrible night came back. She'd been fine for weeks now—the only time Jazlyn was reminded of the panther had been small instances like with learning his codename or the way Rajan had looked at her that night at the ball. The only thing that had kept her up at night were her injuries, but ever since they came here, the nightmares had taken over. So many times she'd lie awake for hours, terrified of seeing the monster who'd nearly killed her again. Why was this happening _now_? Wasn't she past this?

Sly knelt beside her, his eyes gentle as he reached out and pulled her into his arms. She wheezed, desperately wanting to wail out and sob like the baby she was, but her throat refused to cooperate. He adjusted his grip until her nose rested in the crook of his neck and continued the rocking motion as he hummed a random song. Each breath she inhaled smelled of him despite the blood, sweat, and natural musk—the scent of cinnamon overwhelmed everything else and she focused on that rather than her fear. She's met different raccoons before and Jazlyn had never encountered one who smelled like a cinnamon roll. Maybe it was because Sly was different or the cologne he wore (did they even make a cologne that had a cinnamon scent?), but it distracted her every time she inhaled it. For once, Sly distracting her was actually helping her calm down rather than riling her up.

Slowly, her breathing evened out and her heart didn't feel like someone had grabbed it with their hand and was gradually squeezing it in their fist. Her lungs relaxed enough for her to take a deep breath, which didn't last very long as the sobs finally choked their way up and out of her mouth before she could swallow them back. In the end, she didn't care—she deserved a good, long cry after everything that had happened even though she _hated_ crying. Especially, in front of an audience.

"Easy, Jaz," Sly murmured into her hair and rubbed soothing circles on her back. "You're safe, it's okay."

"We should get back to the safehouse—we're too vulnerable here," Bentley said softly, pushing his glasses up from the bridge of his nose.

She felt more than saw Sly nod as he shifted his grip and stumbled to his feet with her securely in his arms, bridal style. Still quivering and shaking, Jazlyn wrapped her arms around his neck and focused on his scent while Murray grabbed her discarded _fu tao_ swords. Bloodied and bruised, the group made their way through the thick forest to return to the safehouse.

 **~o~**

Murray handed her the mug of herbal tea he'd made to soothe her frayed nerves. Smiling in thanks, Jazlyn accepted the cup with both hands and blew on the steam to cool it a little before taking a sip. Her muscles relaxed as the tea warmed her frozen fingers, and she pulled one leg up in the chair to get more comfortable.

Ever since they'd returned to the safehouse, Bentley and Murray tried to give her a wide berth while Sly worked to calm her down. The last time she'd freaked out like this had been in the hospital room after waking up from a nightmare. Granted, that hellish dream was about her last memories with her older brother, but the panicked reaction had been the only one the trio had seen. Maybe the gentle hippo and genius turtle didn't know how to comfort her without possibly being awkward or making the situation worse, but she could tell that they were worried. All these weeks with them and not once did she have a bad reaction to hearing Slicer's name or about the panther and his possible whereabouts—that is, until now.

Jazlyn had kept the nightmares a secret from them—she didn't want Bentley to keep her from helping out with jobs or future heists, and at the time, she didn't think she'd be staying for the long run. It had been agonizing when she had no choice in the matter and had to stay on mandatory bedrest, but to be kept under lockdown if he knew that her mental health was becoming questionable would kill her. Maybe it wasn't the best plan, but she didn't want to stay on the sidelines anymore. She was strong, tough, and more than capable of taking care of herself—and becoming reliant on allies who actually had her back was still a roughly new concept for her.

"Jaz?" Sly asked softly, sitting beside her with his own steaming mug of coffee at the table. His eyes watched the conflicting thoughts swirl in her head and she glanced down his bare chest where Bentley was doctoring up new injuries. Briefly, her brooding mind switched topics long enough to note the raccoon's well-defined muscles from his thieving lifestyle before returning to their downhill spiral as she caught a particularly nasty cut by his right hip.

She took a deep breath and winced as her left side sent a sharp pain when she breathed. Great, another possible bruised rib from the same male who'd caused all her initial injuries in the first place. Rubbing her face tiredly, Jazlyn glanced from the raccoon to Bentley then Murray who sat across from her with a can of soda. _Okay, explanation time part two._

"I'm really alright, guys. Just…" she stumbled to find the correct words, "I'm an idiot."

Bentley stopped wrapping the cut at Sly's hip as all three males stared wordlessly at her. Jazlyn couldn't even find the energy to chuckle at their dumbfounded faces. Instead, she elaborated. "Sorry, I'm not sure how to explain my reasoning behind this other than it was absolutely foolish of me to do so. And, I don't really know where to start either. It's hard for me to share anything about myself—y'all know that better than most, I'd say."

Sly found his voice and gave a small smile as he reached to pat her clenched fist. "Just start wherever feels right."

Her fingers loosened as she interlaced their hands, needing an anchor because this was going to be a rather emotionally painful experience. She couldn't meet Bentley or Murray's gazes and she definitely couldn't keep eye contact with Sly's gentle face for long. Instead, she focused her attention on the chipped cup Murray had given her and fingered the crack near the rim.

"I…I, uh, never really had friends back in school—no one to really rely other than Ms. Fowle who's known me since I was a little cub. She was my parents' attorney for decades and helped in settling their business affairs with clients from overseas. When they died, I was just barely six or seven at the time—and the nature of their deaths were and still are a mystery." She shook her head and blinked back the tears as she thought about the last sacred moment she had with her Mom and Dad. Of Kaeghan, her precious older brother who was pretty much her best friend.

"How did they die?" Bentley asked, voice soft.

"They burned to death in their bedroom when a fire broke out on our estate one night. All I remember is Kaeghan, my older brother, pulling me out of bed and taking me outside and away from the blaze. There was screaming and yelling—I could hear something whistling in the winds, like something flying through the air." Her body shuddered at the memory as it replayed behind her eyes. "Kaeghan went back inside to help get our parents out, but…" She swallowed the lump in her throat and tried again. "He didn't come back out."

After a moment of silence, Jazlyn took another sip of her tea. "I was taken to an orphanage since I had no other relatives who could look after me, and Ms. Fowle became a guardian of sorts for me as I grew up. Ever since that night, I never wanted to experience that kind of loss and pain ever again. So, I kept Ms. Fowle and her family at a distance, and when I started school again, the teasing started to get worse. There were jokes about my family and why they died—speculations on whether they were in the mafia or did illegal dealings with these so-called clients of theirs.

"What a load bullshit," she sighed, the anger from former classmates assuming the worst of her parents' characters had long since fizzled out. When she looked up to gauge the Cooper gang's reaction, her throat became parched as collective rage on her behalf from Sly and Murray appeared on their faces and Bentley shook his head in sadness at how sick kids could be.

It took her a few seconds to continue after seeing that level of anger on their faces, but Jazlyn added, "Well, you understand why I don't trust easily, but I never really tried to reach out and make new friends after that. I thought if I made friends or grew attached then it was setting me up to get hurt again. Burying everyone I loved and cared for when I wasn't even ten-years-old just _sucked—_ I didn't want to lose anyone else. So, I preferred to be by myself to keep my heart safe from that level of pain.

"All I really did was set myself up for doing stupid and irrational things in the future," she muttered with a shake of her head. _What's the best way to say this without beating around the bush?_ Jazlyn mulled briefly in her head as she picked at the rim of her cup.

Murray found her answer as he asked, "So, that's why you don't like asking for help?"

Jazlyn smiled tightly but nodded at him. "Yeah, kinda. I'm used to being on my own and sharing my emotions or what I'm thinking to friends is still hard for me. Even to the few acquaintances I've made through ThiefNet." She sighed again and dipped her head as she admitted the next part. "I've been having nightmares for the past few days—about that night and Slicer. Ever since we left Monaco they've become more frequent and I've had a hard time staying asleep for long periods of time."

Sly squeezed her hand while Bentley stated, "The emotional build-up hit you in one big tidal wave after you saw Slicer again. All that pent-up fear and anger for that assassin isn't going to go away all on its own or without talking about it." He coughed, suddenly feeling awkward as she stared at him. "You can talk to us about it, Jazlyn. We're pretty much a team now and we look after each other."

"Yeah!" Murray stood halfway out of his chair with a wide grin as he leaned forward. "We're a family, Jaz, and you're a part of that, too. Right, guys?"

Bentley nodded as he finished administering first aid on Sly, who rubbed circles over her knuckles. "You can't allow that bastard to keep you down, Spots. You're not alone, so you don't need to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders anymore."

Jazlyn slumped into her chair at his offer of taking some of the world off her—at all three of them showering her with reassurances that she was welcomed here, that they saw her as one of them, and that they were willing to give her their support. Her tea was completely forgotten as she basked in the glow of acceptance. She smiled at each of them—the three males who had gotten under her skin in their own personal way and wormed their way past her defenses.

"I appreciate this—truly."

Sly snorted, his signature smirk finding its way back to his mouth despite the split in his bottom lip. "No need to be so formal."

She shrugged and twisted in her seat to sit cross-legged but her ribs gave a sharp warning that caused her to wince. Bentley frowned and paused in putting up the first aid kit. He moved away from Sly's still bare torso to her side without any verbal cue on her part. When she opened her mouth to tell the turtle that it was probably just a bruise, Bentley fixed her a stern glare that immediately shut her up. Sly chuckled and Murray stood up from his chair to gather their respective mugs.

"Murray, could you make some more tea? It helps me relax," Jazlyn said, handing her chipped mug to the hippo who gave her a bright smile in response. She thanked him then hissed between clenched teeth as Bentley prodded her left side.

Her body flinched away from the turtle and she nearly tumbled out of her chair if Sly hadn't caught her in his arms. Laughing at her overreaction, the raccoon shifted in his chair until Jazlyn rested comfortably between his legs and pressed against his warm chest. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks and spread along her neck and ears. Just when she was about to tell him to let her go so Bentley could have better access to her side, the turtle said, "You'll need to take off your shirt so I can see better, Jazlyn."

Bentley looked uncomfortable as he said it, but he had a valid point. She sighed and pulled away from Sly (her heart was beating so quickly from just feeling his bare fur against her back, which tingled) to slowly lift her tank over her head. Her sport bra was the only article of clothing that separated her flesh from Sly's and she tried to ignore him as Bentley took a look. What she hadn't expected was the turtle's sudden interest in the healed scars along her abdomen, sides, and lower back. Realization hit that none of the Cooper gang have seen the scars she'd collected over the years in all the time they've been together.

Murmuring to himself, Bentley prodded and poked her upper left side, igniting another reaction as Jazlyn hissed and tried to avoid the turtle's finger. "Looks like it's just bruised and not cracked. Here, we'll wrap an Ace bandage around it just in case."

As the turtle began to wrap his second patient in bandages, Jazlyn could feel the lightest of caresses on her back that traced the scar near her right shoulder. "I didn't know you had so many scars, Spots. Don't you normally stay out of the spotlight while on a job?"

Jazlyn rolled her eyes and tried to keep the shiver from traveling down her spine as he continued to relentlessly caress the scars along her back. Bentley and Murray were listening intently as they worked on their separate tasks. She looked over her shoulder to fix Sly with a warning stare. "I tended to work with mobsters sometimes, remember? Some of them tried to stab me in the back—literally. I've also had hits placed on me and some of the scars are from hitmen."

Bentley finished wrapping the Ace bandage around her and hummed in thought. "How're your ties with the mafia, Jazlyn? Sly mentioned once that you punched the Caprio boss's son."

She winced and rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. "Yeah, the Caprio family kinda hate me, but I have a few contacts in the surrounding mafias—nothing too big, but they'll keep me informed on hitmen who're sent after me." Jazlyn tilted her head, eyes narrowing at the turtle as he put the first aid kit on the table. "Why're you asking?"

Sly wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back into his chest and she had to keep herself from yelping in surprise as he nuzzled his nose into her neck. Shuddering, Jazlyn swallowed thickly. This must've been what he felt whenever she'd put her nose in the crook of his neck—she could feel her heart flutter like a hummingbird's wings and her stomach literally flipped and tangled itself into several knots. Desperately, Jazlyn tried to focus on Bentley as he fiddled with the kit before moving it out of the way and reached to pull his laptop toward him.

He adjusted his glasses, pointedly ignoring his best friend's display of affection, and explained, "Well, I think you're right about Rajan having a larger role in the Klaww Gang than we initially thought. I'm almost 90 percent positive that he has more than just the Clockwerk wings in his possession."

Behind her, Jazlyn could feel Sly's muscles tense and his arms tightened around her waist slightly. She patted his arm soothingly and he took a deep breath of her scent before his body relaxed. "You think some of my contacts might know something?"

"Not necessarily," he said with a shake of his head. Murray returned with freshly brewed tea and Jazlyn thanked him after accepting the cup. While the snow leopardess blew on her tea, Bentley continued, "I believe they might know someone who does. Rajan mentioned that Luscious Grape was spreading spice through their merchandise, and I've been digging further into the other guests on the list. I found that almost all of them are from influential mobs in several countries and a few act as wolves in sheep's clothing by having a double life."

Her brows scrunched together in concentration, her body gradually getting used to Sly's bare chest resting comfortably against her back like it was the most natural thing in the world. Jazlyn asked, "So, you think my contacts might be able to find info on where Rajan produces his spice and if he has another piece of Clockwerk?"

Bentley snapped his fingers together and nodded. "Exactly."

Murray piped up then, sitting once more in his preferred chair. "Won't your contacts in the mafia be suspicious about you asking about Clockwerk?"

Shrugging, Jazlyn tapped her fingers along her mug as she took a sip. "Those guys are pretty loyal, all things considered. Plus, they owe me big time."

Sly raised an eyebrow, "You have members of several mobs in your debt? Over what?"

The snow leopardess grinned mischievously and winked. "A story for another time, Cooper. I could make contact with them tonight, if you'd like, Bentley."

"Yes," the turtle said, finishing his setup for his next slideshow. "Touch base with them and see if they can't find out anything." He cleared his throat and focused on the screen before them. "Alright, Operation: Hippo Drop is set in motion for tomorrow night."

Jazlyn snickered despite herself and the raccoon behind her was having a difficult time keeping his laughter in check as well as a picture of Murray appeared on the screen. Bentley glared at them and the two contained their chuckles while he continued. "As I was _saying,_ Operation: Hippo Drop will require explicit timing for everything to go smoothly. First, I will distract the guards by blowing the bridge connecting the estate and the guest villa to prevent more guards from flooding the streets when Murray is carrying the wings. Secondly, Sly, you'll dance with Carmelita to keep her busy and captivate the rest of the audience as well as Rajan from Murray sawing the wings off the Durga statue. While you are doing that, I'll ready the van for our getaway and help clear the way for Murray's escape. Jazlyn," Bentley met her eyes as he set a slide of Slicer on the screen—and how he managed to take a picture of the panther, she'll never know, but she stiffened. "With Slicer out there, you'll need to stick close to Murray and keep an eye out for him. We don't know what he might do, but it's best if you're not alone for a while."

Jazlyn nodded, though she hated the idea of having babysitters again. In the end, until Slicer was no longer a threat, she would just have to get used to it. She took another long gulp of her tea and focused on relaxing her muscles as Bentley emphasized the importance of timing. Closing her eyes, she leaned into Sly's embrace and slowly zoned out in the middle of Bentley's pep talk. She'd completely forgotten her discarded tank that laid on the floor at her feet _and_ that Sly's bare chest was touching her back—she could feel each defined muscle and her entire body felt hot.

Sly chuckled breathily in her ear, clearly aware the direction her mind was taking as he began to draw random designs along her hand that had remained on his left forearm. Her body shuddered, and she opened her eyes long enough to set the mug on the table and tell Bentley and Murray that she was going to bed. Reluctantly, the raccoon released her from his lap, and she gathered her discarded tank before heading to her side of the cave to change. There was shuffling behind her as Bentley and Murray began to pack the projector and the rest of their electronics into the van. She took the time to change her sweaty bra for a new one before placing a thin night shirt over it. Unbuttoning her shorts, Jazlyn quickly replaced them with her taco-patterned pajama bottoms that she often lounged in because they were so comfortable. The entire time she was replacing her sweaty and dirty clothes with her pajamas, she could feel Sly's heated stare on her back. She refused to look at him and began to set aside her clothes for tomorrow night before packing the rest of her non-essentials.

Jazlyn flicked her tail at him to show that she knew exactly what he was doing, and the raccoon chuckled in response. Snorting, she carefully lowered herself to the sleeping bag and settled down for the night. As she closed her eyes, she only hoped that the nightmares would leave her alone for tonight—she didn't want to deal with any more stress after the night they had.


	13. Heated Tension

**_Wow, an update! What a great early Christmas gift, right?_**

 ** _In all seriousness, here's the next chapter for TBoS. I'm currently re-reading all the chapters so I can get back into the thick of things again, which is why even though I have chapter fifteen mostly completed, I haven't increased my updates. Believe me, I am going to finish this regardless of how long it takes._** ** _Also, I'd like to express my gratitude to everyone who has continued to read, review, favorite, and follow this story. It brightens up my day when I get an email telling me that another reader has followed or fav'ed this story. :)_**

 ** _Please leave a review and tell me what you think about the story overall, the characters, and any constructive criticism you might have! I try to read and respond to everyone's when I can, but just know that I DO read every single one with a smile on my face. _**

**_Happy Holidays!_**

 ** _~Delyth_**

* * *

 _Chapter Twelve_

 _Heated Tension_

Jazlyn shifted her weight along the rafters of Rajan's ballroom, eyes focused on the dancefloor and the Bengal tiger's slouched form on his throne. He appeared more agitated than the last time she saw him and considering how they'd made a huge mess of his home, she couldn't blame him. The ballroom was covered with guards at every entrance and exit, near the statue and the Clockwerk wings, and on the upper levels of the balcony. She gave a low whistle at the amount of guards and glanced at Murray who was struggling to wrap the special harness around his torso.

Giggling, the snow leopardess helped the hippo attach the rest of the harness and she handed him the heavy, razor-edged saw Bentley made of the jewels from Rajan's prized elephants. Nodding to herself in approval, Jazlyn moved away from the winch's opening and Murray carefully looked out over the crowd while waiting for Bentley's signal.

" _Is everyone in position?"_ Bentley's voice cut through the line and she could hear him breathing heavier as he ran.

She glanced at her watch with a raised eyebrow. _Three minutes ahead of schedule. He truly is a bomb expert,_ she mused with a grin. "Yeah, good to go."

" _Sly?"_

Before the ringtail answered, Jazlyn already found him walking through the throng of mammals with ease. His steps were confident and smooth as he searched for the Interpol vixen. _"Approaching Carmelita now, pal."_

"The Murray is ready," the hippo said as he was slowly lowered into position and Jazlyn grinned.

She knelt beside the mouth of the ceiling and noted Rajan growling at the guards who surrounded the statue. Her eyes sparkled in delight as they were sent away along with several other rhinos who were stationed on the balconies. "Hey, Bentley, you're plan's working. Rajan just sent a majority of the guards out to handle the destroyed bridge."

" _Good. I'm going to get the van ready. Sly, work your charm."_

The raccoon couldn't reply as he was meeting with the vixen in the center of the dancefloor just as they'd planned. Jazlyn could only imagine what the two were talking about, but she decided to ignore the fire burning in her gut as Carmelita touched Sly's arm in what the snow leopardess could only dub as 'unnecessary.' She bit back her growl as the fox leaned toward the raccoon's ear and whispered something that made him laugh. As the intro to a tango began, Sly drew the Inspector into his arms and began the next phase of their operation.

She flicked her gaze away from the dancing couple to watch Murray lower himself down as the party guests and Rajan himself were drawn into Sly's spell. Jazlyn refused to watch how close the fox and raccoon were, and instead, she determinedly focused on Murray as he finally reached the statue. Already, the hippo began to saw at the bindings holding the Clockwerk wings in place and prayed that the orchestral music was loud enough that the spice lord's sensitive ears couldn't pick it up.

"Quite the scheme you've created, kitten," a voice murmured in amusement right behind her.

Chills made their way down her spine and barely missing a beat, Jazlyn whirled on her heel to swipe at the panther's legs. He jumped back with a chuckle and landed on another beam in a crouch. She stood up, claws unsheathed and tail flicking behind her in nervous anticipation. The whole point of her remaining close to Murray in the final part of the heist was to avoid any confrontation with Slicer! How could he have known she would be up here, waiting for the pink hippo to return with the wings? His violet eyes were laughing at her—at the fact that she had no idea how he had figured it out.

Growling, Jazlyn checked the surrounding rafters to see if the panther had brought backup and was confused to see not one chimp or goat. Was he that cocky in stopping them by himself or did he want to take the time that she was alone to torture her mentally? Or, and Jazlyn nearly stopped breathing as panic began to spread, was he planning on taking her?

"You're not going to attack me?" Slicer asked, seemingly disappointed at that prospect as he watched her with a smug smile.

She took a deep breath and reminded herself that she was strong—she could defend herself long enough to cause enough damage that it would slow Slicer down for the others to catch up. There was no need to panic—she wouldn't give in to his twisted mind games or his physical brutality. Jazlyn shoved the fear and panic into a box, locked it, and put it in the furthest recesses of her mind to deal with later. One mistake on her part could not only jeopardize the entire heist but could get her killed for sure this time.

"How'd you know?" Jazlyn asked, eyes narrowed to slits as she watched him intently.

He stood from his crouch and dusted off the nice clothes Rajan must have required him to wear during the ball. The white button-down provided a definitive contrast to his ebony fur and he rolled up the sleeves meticulously while he answered. "I'm good at my job, kitten. Have lots of practice of watching my targets without them knowing until it's too late, but you already knew that."

Whispers of the night she stumbled upon him in her home tried to dig their claws into her mind, but she kicked it aside with an irritated growl. _Later,_ Jazlyn snarled at the memories, _you can torture me all you'd like later but not_ _ **now**_ _._ "Not really an answer, but I didn't expect you to give me one."

"Then why ask? I know you're a lot smarter than that."

Jazlyn could hear the audience below clapping as Sly and Carmelita began to reach the climax of the song. She needed to get Slicer out of here otherwise the entire heist will be ruined once Rajan realizes the wings have been taken and the ball devolves into chaos.

" _Jazlyn, what's going on? Who're you talking to?"_ Bentley asked, clearly hearing her conversation from the van.

She nearly cursed at the turtle because if this comm. line was open for Murray and Sly to hear, then it would distract them both from completing their jobs. Instead of answering, Jazlyn told Slicer, "Is this what you meant when you said we needed to catch up soon?"

Her ears twitched as the winch started its ascent with both Murray and the wings in tow. Slicer remained unfazed by Murray's inevitable arrival as he grinned, flashing his fangs in the dim lighting. "Not quite what I had in mind, but it will have to do."

"We have _nothing_ to catch up about—unless you wanted to compare scars," she said, pointing to her left cheek to mock the scar covering a majority of his. Probably not the brightest of ideas, taunting a trained assassin, but Jazlyn had a mouth that once it got going, she couldn't stop it. That and she didn't really have a filter most of the time.

" _Jazlyn? Is that Slicer?"_ Bentley sounded desperate, but she still refused to give him a direct answer.

"Are you so sure? It seems we have a lot more in common than you may realize, kitten." Her body stiffened as he finished rolling up his sleeves and jumped back to the same beam as hers. His violet eyes seemed to glow even brighter and she flinched as he lifted a hand to touch her hair. "I never realized you were the last member of your clan until I sent your blood to be sampled."

Her heart jumped to her throat—eyes widening and mouth suddenly going dry. What did her family have anything to do with him? How did he even possibly _know_ about her clan to begin with? Even when they were alive, her parents' business and clientele weren't vastly known. Not even Ms. Fowle knew all the details of her family's business that has been a part of her clan's heritage since the very beginning.

Slicer laughed, and his claw caressed the healed scar on her right cheek. "You honestly don't know anything about your family heritage, do you? What a pity."

Murray's breathing was drawing closer and she broke free of her surprise to kick Slicer away from her with a snarl. Shaking with rage and confusion, Jazlyn was torn between demanding him to tell her what he knew about her parents or just beating him to a pulp for trying to spread more lies about her clan. Slicer flipped in the air and caught a higher beam to redirect his momentum back toward her. Dodging his double kick aimed at her head, Jazlyn swiped her claws along his side and enjoyed the sound of his howl echoing amongst the rafters a little too much. Bentley's voice continued to grow louder in her ear as he called out her name and asking if Murray could see her yet.

Jazlyn ran to where Slicer struggled to get up from his ungraceful landing, barely holding on to the current beam as he landed sideways on it, and slammed her foot into his hurt side again to keep him down. Murray gawked at the gasping panther near her feet and she quickly helped the hippo out of the harness and directed him down the path that would lead them out the back of the ballroom. She looked over her shoulder to see Slicer clutching his bleeding side and his amused stare as he watched them go. More questions began to surface to the forefront of her mind—Why was he letting them go? She'd seen him get back up from injuries worse than that. She shook her head to clear it—focus on getting Murray out of here in one piece while he's carrying two huge ass wings _then_ on whether Slicer's vague words held merit or not.

"Bentley, get the RC Chopper ready." The snow leopardess could already see the turtle getting ready to lecture her and interrupted him again. "Look, I'll explain later. Focus on the job first."

How ironic she was using Sly's same words to the turtle who has probably said the phrase to him more than once when they first started out almost two years ago. Jazlyn urged Murray to go faster as her ears picked up the sounds of distraught party guests—more specifically, Rajan's outraged roar as he noticed the missing Clockwerk wings. They had exactly two minutes to get from the rafters to the lower levels before the entire place was swarmed with the remaining guards. Heart pumping, the snow leopardess eased her way around Murray as they headed for the drop point, a spot Jazlyn had found in hopes it would make the trip down from the rafters easier for the hippo and his cargo. From what she was able to gather, none of the guards knew about the secret passage between the rear entrance of the building and the rafters. The width of the drop from the rafters to an old servant's entrance was just wide enough for both the hippo's girth and the enormous, silver metal wings.

She breathed a sigh of relief when Murray's knees popped from his landing and asked him, "You still good, Murray?"

"Oh yes! This nothing for the Murray!" He boasted with a toothy grin as he shifted the wings weight more evenly above his head.

Jazlyn placed her hands over his mouth urgently, shushing him as she heard several shouts from guards as they ran by the wall that separated them from the snow leopardess and hippo. His eyes widened in realization and she shook her head at him, mouthing, "No talking."

When he nodded, she removed her hands and began to walk down the corridor. Even with the flashlight she'd brought with her and her own night vision, the servant's corridor was almost pitch black and Murray had to rely on her to be his eyes as she led the way. Judging by Bentley's estimate of how long it would take them both to exit the corridor, they should reach the end in the next five minutes. Murray was careful to keep the wings from brushing against the stone walls while they walked, but Jazlyn had a difficult time moving slower since Murray was so weighed down by the Clockwerk wings. Having only a single wall between them and the enemy was making her antsy to get out. Murray didn't complain once when she started to jog after catching sight of an ancient and rickety door.

It took her almost three tries to get the door to open and even then, she was hesitant to move an inch as she listened. She turned her flashlight off and waited, holding her breath as the only sounds that reached her ears were the distant shouts and screams of party guests and guards. They weren't searching the back exit just as Bentley and Jazlyn had hoped for when developing the final phase. After two agonizing minutes of listening, she opened the door completely and motioned for Murray to follow her quickly. He was laughing, unable to contain his pure excitement at their close calls and Jazlyn shook her head in exasperation. Even though the hippo was three years her senior, he acted like such a kid at times, which was a great refresher.

"Bentley, we've made it out. You got eyes on us?" Jazlyn asked, eyes darting for any guard hiding in the dark alleys. So far, the coast was clear as the only sound she could hear were her light footsteps and Murray's heavy breathing as he jogged after her.

" _There are two guards heading your way, I'm already taking care of them now."_ He still sounded irritated about her ignoring him earlier, but she wasn't going to risk the heist by distracting Sly who had a pivotal job to do. _"The van is waiting outside the drawbridge and Sly is clearing out a few more guards nearby."_

Relief flowed throughout her entire core at hearing the ringtail's escape was a success. Of course, he would get away without anyone even knowing he was there in first place. He lived for the risk and danger.

Jazlyn heard the sirens piercing the night air and felt more sweat drip down her back as she changed directions. No way in _Hell_ was she taking them down any street where Interpol agents were heading. No doubt, Carmelita had pulled the plug on her undercover operation and started making arrests. Thanks to the vixen, not only did Jazlyn have to worry about Rajan's goons but Interpol agents as well. She growled in frustration as she veered down an alley to dodge an oncoming Interpol car and waited at the end to make sure there weren't any guards or agents running about. Bentley notified her that there were a few of Rajan's security team running away from the ball to avoid getting cuffed, but Jazlyn couldn't decide if that worked in their favor or not. Her bet was on the latter as she checked to make sure no one was following them.

Urging Murray to go faster for the last few blocks to freedom, Jazlyn blessed the turtle for having air coverage for them as he took out most of obstacles in their path. She didn't have to do anything except make sure Murray got to the van in one piece, but there were a few times where her hunting skills had come into play. They were just reaching the courtyard where Sly was fending off three chimps from attacking Bentley and the van. She pushed the hippo in the direction of the van while she climbed up a nearby building. Her pupils dilated as she breathed in the humid night air and instinct took over as she crouched near the roof's edge.

Sly made eye contact with her briefly and in that moment, they had a full conversation. He made no show that he'd seen her let alone had the silent communication with the snow leopardess as he swiped one monkey's legs out from under him. Before he could stand back up, Sly slammed his cane against his head before forcing the other two chimps to stumble back—right into her pouncing range.

A wide, predator smile took hold of her face as her legs bunched together, coiling and tightening for the upcoming leap. Claws already unsheathed, Jazlyn lunged for the left chimp with barely a sound as she soared through the air like an arrow. Her arms vibrated from the impact with the unaware brown monkey as she slammed into him, claws digging and slicing into his arms relentlessly. His yelp was short-lived as Jazlyn pulled her left arm away from the tattered remains of his vest and shoulder, and she punched him hard enough that her knuckles bled slightly and sent him off to dreamland.

"I give you an eight-point-five for that one, Spots," Sly said, chuckling as he placed his cane over his shoulder. The last guard was at his feet, unconscious, with a sizeable lump on the side of his head already forming.

Standing up, Jazlyn looked at her bloodied claws and hands with a frown. "Why? Because it wasn't you I was tackling?"

Bentley interrupted whatever quip the raccoon had in mind by announcing he and Murray were going to leave without them if they didn't stop bantering. Sly laughed, reaching out to grab her bloodstained hand and lead her to the idling van. The two hopped into the back and again, Jazlyn was amazed by their packing skills as the giant wings were pushed against the left side of the van, between the makeshift desk and their other various equipment. There was still plenty of room for her and Sly to stretch out in the back and she couldn't exactly figure out how they did it—maybe Bentley invented a shrinking ray when she wasn't looking and shot the wings as well as several other boxes filled to the brim with the turtle's electronics.

As soon as Murray gunned the engine and the van shot forward, the tension in Jazlyn's body finally left her. She slumped against the master thief, exhaustion weighing heavily on her shoulders as the box filled with her fear and panic of dealing with Slicer, _alone_ , finally burst at the seams. Closing her eyes, she waited for the inevitable barrage of questions from the green turtle while Sly wrapped an arm around her waist to pull her closer into his side.

"Jazlyn?" Bentley turned a little in his seat to see her better and waited until she opened her eyes to meet his. When she nodded at him to continue, he said, "I wasn't able to hear the entire conversation, but how did Slicer find you?"

Sly stiffened against her and she grabbed his other paw, the one that rested lightly on his ancestral cane. Her fingers quivered a little as she held onto his like a lifeline, and she swallowed back the panic that was trying to force its way into her throat and devour her words like the terrible monster it is. "He'd been watching—just as he watched me back in Paris without me knowing. I've always been on high alert _because_ some of the gangs and mobsters don't like me and have hired hitmen to get rid of me in the past. That's what scares me the most, not knowing when he'll turn up no matter how alert I am."

"Did he hurt you?" Sly's breath parted her hair and the low growl in his tone sent a shiver down her spine. She'd never seen the raccoon angry like this before and, despite the current situation and reason, Jazlyn found it sexy.

She shook her head, her nose brushing against his shirt and she breathed him in like fresh air. "More like I hurt him, but I have a feeling that he _let_ me. Maybe it was to cover his tracks for allowing Murray and I to walk away unscathed or make me question everything all over again."

"What do you mean?" Bentley asked, his brow furrowing as he turned completely around. Murray was giving sidelong glances at the rearview mirror every few seconds while he focused on navigating the backroads to avoid the sudden Interpol hotspot.

Jazlyn was almost in Sly's lap, seeking comfort from the nightmares of not only Slicer but the last night with her family and their legacy. The raccoon didn't complain, he adjusted his grip until his left arm supported her while the other grasped her shaking hand firmly. His free hand rubbed circles through her fur on her arm before drifting to play at the ends of her silver locks. It distracted her somewhat, to feel his body heat and the way her entire being reacted whenever he touched her. There were times she still couldn't believe that she took the risk and let her heart fall for the ladies' man, but instances where he simply looked only at her or reached out to hold her hand proved that he was worth the plunge.

She lifted her head enough for everyone to hear her clearly but hid her eyes behind her bangs. "He kept talking about how we're similar and that it's a pity that I don't know anything about my clan's legacy. Maybe he was just toying with me, but he's not wrong. I don't know what my parents _did_ while they were alive and they died before they shared that part of their lives with me. It's a tradition for the children to not know anything about their family's true history until their eighteenth birthday, then it's up to the child to continue the tradition or move on to their own path."

"Couldn't you get into contact with that Ms. Fowle and ask her?" Murray asked, confused.

"I don't want her to get involved yet," she explained, "She still has little owlings to worry about and I won't risk their lives. I have a few contacts in the Underworld who could do some research on a few of my family's clientele and—" Jazlyn paused hesitantly as she met Bentley's gaze, "I don't want to overwhelm you, Bentley, and I'm pretty sure Rajan is still out there somewhere, but—"

Bentley held up a hand and she snapped her mouth shut with a click of teeth. "When I'm not researching about Rajan and the other pieces of Clockwerk, I can see what I can find about your ancestry."

"Wouldn't you have found something already, Bentley, after Spots told us her real name?" Sly piped up again, his voice relaxed after hearing Slicer hadn't harmed her. Well, physically at least.

The turtle sighed, clearly frustrated, and Jazlyn raised an eyebrow in question. "Even with her full name, I couldn't pull much other than her DOB, school history, and missing mammals' report."

"Wow, I'm sorry that I'm truly a ghost," she joked weakly.

Sly whistled, impressed. "I knew we couldn't find hardly anything when she didn't give us much other than her coat pattern but damn."

"This might be more difficult than finding the other Klaww Gang members and what part of Clockwerk they have." Bentley removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "If your contacts in the Underworld can find information about the clients, I might be able to backtrack from there."

Jazlyn nodded, "I'll contact them tomorrow—I'm too tired to deal with them right now."

She tried to ignore the shared looks between the trio but gave up when the questions appeared in Sly's eyes. He wouldn't let her sleep until he got a clearer explanation than that, and she could already see the wheels turning in Bentley's head as he cleaned his glasses with a handkerchief, attempting (and _failing_ ) to appear nonchalant.

 _How do I even begin?_ She sighed, "Lugia and Reinhart are pretty laidback for mercenaries—" Bentley's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his sockets if he wasn't careful and both Sly and Murray looked even _more_ intrigued. "—it's Duska and Enydellion that're hard to deal with. Don't even get me started on how _difficult_ they are when you've gotta work with them—at the same time."

"Wait, wait, wait!" Bentley held up his hands in the timeout sign. "You have contacts with mercenaries—and not only that, you know _Reinhart?_ "

Sly shifted against the van's wall until he was sitting straighter and readjusted his grip on Jazlyn's waist as he pulled her more firmly into his lap. She was content to just rest her head on his shoulder and watch Bentley stare, flabbergasted. "What's so great about this Reinhart guy, Bentley?"

"He's renowned for his esteemed hacking skills, he can fly to any country without anybody the wiser, he's brilliant in strategy and an expert marksman, _and_ he has the ability to disappear off the face of the planet—literally, figuratively, and electronically." Bentley listed off every single skill (that he knows of because Jazlyn knew Reinhart could do much more than that) to his friends who were watching him with amusement.

"I'm sure Reinhart wouldn't mind talking to you, Bentley, but he's so scattered-brain when off the clock that I have a hard time keeping up with him." Jazlyn giggled at the pure joy of a kid who received the best Christmas gift ever on the turtle's face.

Murray laughed outright as the van veered sharply to the left and further into the Indian forest. Jazlyn didn't know where they were heading right now, but she was just glad it was far away from Slicer and the current conversation wasn't on how she'd kept Slicer's presence in the middle of a heist to herself.

"Anyway, Reinhart is easy to talk to when he's focused on a specific task, and Lugia is the epitome of calm under pressure, I kid you not," the snow leopardess said. "Duska is a fucking troll who'd leave you out to dry just to have a good laugh and he's hard to get a hold of so, hopefully, I won't have to deal with another one of his irritating jokes."

"What about Enyd…Enydellion?" Murray stumbled over the pronunciation, the name sounding garbled.

Jazlyn didn't bother to correct him because the name was not only strange but foreign. Even she had a hard time pronouncing it properly. "He's a genius, however, he's a narcissist _and_ a sociopath. Out of all the people I've come into contact with in the Underworld, Enyd is by far the creepiest and scariest bastard ever."

"On a scale between one to ten—ten being Slicer—how bad?" Sly pressed a kiss against her shoulder and eased the tension from her muscles when she tensed again at the mention of the panther.

After considerable thought, Jazlyn answered, "Enyd is like a twelve. I'd rather die than _ever_ be on Enyd's bad side, but luckily for me, he thinks I'm his little pet."

"Pet?" The trio asked at the same time, incredulous and outraged (Sly, more so than the others).

She shrugged, not bothered by the title, "In his vernacular, I'm like his little sister but without all the affection and with possessiveness to the max." Turning in Sly's lap, Jazlyn poked his cheek to gain his full attention. "Which means, for your safety, I gotta introduce him to you _very, very_ slowly. He's probably well-aware of who you are because that's just who he is, but if he doesn't think you're worthy to be near his 'property' then he'll try to murder you."

There was mirth in the raccoon's eyes but behind it all, she could tell he completely understood. Behind her, Jazlyn could sense Bentley's intense stare burning holes into her back after her admission. "Before you even start, Bentley, Enyd doesn't judge base on social norms, so he won't find Sly's flirtatious nature as an issue. He _will_ see Sly as another male trying to take what's his away from him and it's important for him to understand that there's a thing called _sharing_."

"How do you plan to explain that to a sociopath?"

"How do you think I've kept him from killing Reinhart, Duska, and Lugia?" She fired back, annoyed at the turtle's need to question how she could possibly protect Sly from a trained killer like Enyd. "I'm not an idiot, Bentley. Enyd is one of the very first contacts I made with the Underworld, which is why he considers me a pet of his because I've asked him to help me train in martial arts some."

Sly joked, "Is he the one who taught you how to tackle people?"

Snorting, Jazlyn ignored him. "I meant what I said the other night, Bentley."

Tension began to rise in the air as turtle and snow leopardess locked gazes in a battle of wills. Slowly, Bentley relented with a sigh and rubbed his face, a deep weariness settling over him. Jazlyn felt guilty for causing the little guy so much stress then reminded herself that regardless of whether she was here or not, his lifestyle beside his two buddies would cause the same stress.

Sly looked confused at her reference but didn't comment. As Jazlyn closed her eyes, a clear signal that she was done with the conversation and ready to sleep, she heard Bentley mutter, "Don't think I won't talk to you later about not responding to me during the heist, Jazlyn."

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Jazlyn shifted until her head rested more comfortably against Sly's collarbone and sighed, the stress and fear finally leaving her. Maybe, for once, she'd finally sleep for nearly eight hours without waking up once because of a nightmare.

 **~o~**

Jazlyn rubbed her forehead and tried to keep from groaning out loud as Duska laughed outright when he heard her new gig. He especially found it hilarious that the snow leopardess would have to talk to Enyd about her relationship with three more males and, especially, with Sly.

"Duska, I swear to _God_ if you tell Enyd before I do, I will hunt your ass down and out you to every fucking gang and Interpol." Her growled threat only made the hyena guffaw louder as he banged the tabletop of his desk and rattled his laptop. She was going to _murder him_.

At the murderous look in her eye, Duska tried to stifle his mirth but was failing miserably. _"Sorry, Ghost, but the fact you're with the Cooper gang—in the middle of a piss battle with the Klaww Gang is just rich. Never thought you'd jump straight into bullshit like that since you insist on being a ninja."_

She rolled her eyes, leaning back in the chair of a hotel Bentley found on the outskirts of Mumbai. They'd travelled almost two full days to reach the magnificent city and while it wasn't nearly as bad as the trip from Monaco, she was glad when they'd checked into the hotel. It wasn't nearly as nice as the one with an attached casino, but the place was still ritzy with bright windows as tall as the lobby's high ceilings. There were hardwood floors throughout the entire hotel that made the place feel warmer and cozy with less pricy but comfy furniture. Their rooms were once again adjoined, but this time, Sly was staying in the same room as her since there were two beds and because she'd offered to let him stay so the boys didn't have to double up.

Currently, the turtle was researching the next Clockwerk part and he supported her theory that Rajan most likely had another piece of the mechanical bird. So far, he hadn't found much but he was relying on her contacts with the Underground to help dig for more information about not only Rajan but, also, Slicer and her family's history.

"Yeah, it's fucking hilarious," She snapped in Latin because Duska insisted on security and forcing her to learn a language that was pretty much lost and hardly anyone alive spoke it as hilarious. Behind her and lounging on one of the beds in nothing but a pair of thin pants, Sly watched her interaction with the hyena with curiosity and amusement. Of all the languages he'd learned to read a centuries-worth of ancestors who lived on various parts of the Earth, he didn't know a lick of Latin. Though, there were some words that had to be spoken in Spanish or mixed with Italian since Latin didn't have words like 'fuck' or modern slang. Which added more trolling for Duska as he mixed Italian and Spanish words with Latin, and her brain was practically fried from having to translate several languages at once by the time she ended any conversation with Duska.

" _Awe, Ghost, don't get your panties in a twist. You know you love me."_

"It's times like these that I question it," she said, pinching the bridge of her nose.

He didn't bother to apologize because Duska never said sorry for anything since that's the kind of jerk he was. However, despite his asshole status, the male was very efficient in gathering info on anyone and everything—he also sold every kind of weapon, poison, and black market good you could think of, which was also how they met since he'd bought one of the Parisian mafia's priceless heirlooms she'd stolen.

" _I know you didn't call me to just chat—you only ever call me when you need something._ " His face, hidden slightly in the shadows, turned feral as he grinned. _"What'd you need from me this time, Ghost?"_

"What do you know about a black panther with violet eyes called Slicer?" Jazlyn schooled her features into an indifferent mask, refusing to show Duska just how much the panther affected her. She didn't need him to get sidetracked and tease her some more about being a wuss.

Duska went completely still, his shoulders tensed, and Jazlyn swore she saw fear enter his golden eyes before it was gone in a blink. _"Why do you need to know about him?"_

"Let's just say that I have a score to settle," her voice went cold as she narrowed her gaze at him. For him to go tightlipped so quickly after merely mentioning Slicer's moniker, it meant that this conversation was about to get a lot darker and possibly, heated.

" _You'd get yourself_ _ **killed**_ _, Ghost."_ There was true concern for her in his tone as he leaned forward in his seat. He clenched his hands together to keep her from noticing the slight quiver in them, but she noticed anyway because her own were shaking underneath the table. _"You can't mess with that guy. He's a real, hard-edged and fucked up assassin-for-hire. No one really knows his background and history because they never live long enough to tell the world what they know."_

"Oh, I could've figured that out myself," Jazlyn said with indifference, though on the inside her entire soul shriveled up into a tiny ball at the news.

Sly perked as the atmosphere changed between the two and he moved around on the bed until he was sitting on the edge. She could see just out of her peripheral that his tail was swishing behind him in anticipation, and the snow leopardess was preparing herself for more disappointment. Both Reinhart and Lugia had given her the same warnings and explanations before she'd called Duska, but she still hoped that there would be _something—anything_ the hyena could tell her about the panther that continued to haunt her. Somewhere down the line, their families' histories had crossed, and she was somehow connected with him—regardless of how much the thought made her stomach churn.

" _You don't understand what you're playing with, Ghost. That fucker is crazy for the Hunt and he'll kill anyone—men, women, children—it doesn't matter or for how much."_ Duska shook his head and ran his shaking fingers through his dyed blonde hair. _"Look, kid, I don't know what you're up to, but Slicer isn't someone you should be sniffing around. Does he have something to do with the Klaww Gang and the raccoon?"_

Stubbornly, Jazlyn kept tight-lipped about the relationship between Sly's overall mission and Slicer as the enforcer for the Klaww Gang. The less Duska knew about _that_ particular connection, the better. "He has something to do with me, Duska."

Silence so long and tense that Jazlyn thought their Wi-Fi had disconnected before her friend asked, _"How? You never talk about your past, Ghost."_

"In one of our excursions, he mentioned my family's legacy to me and hinted that we were similar." This was the most she'd ever talked about herself to Duska let alone any of her friends. She was almost a hundred percent certain that Enyd knew everything about her since he first met her but without proof, she couldn't confront him about it yet. Either way, Duska was hearing more or less the same vague information she'd explained to Lugia and Reinhart. Granted, they only asked what they needed to know in order to research her family's clients since they could easily learn more about her based on her parents' business than she could ever explain. "He may have been trying to throw me off, but I just have this nagging feeling that it wasn't all just mind games."

" _I'm really starting to hate your instincts, kid,"_ Duska groaned, disappearing from view completely as the shadows swallowed him whole. He must've leaned back in his chair and Jazlyn waited patiently for his response. Sighing, he said, _"Look, I'll see what I can dig up about your past—I assume you've got Lulu and the old fox on the case, too?"_

"Yeah, Reinhart is currently helping one of the gang's members with info digging on the Klaww Gang, but he'll work on my favor when's he finished."

" _Are you going to talk to Enyd?"_

"That's going to be one Hell of a talk, I can already tell," she said, rubbing her face tiredly. Enyd was going to have a fucking _cow_ when he heard about the Cooper gang and her exploits.

Duska's eyes glowed in the dark with his amusement. _"Poor baby. You make 'im sound like he's your old man. Hell, if he ever has a brat, bless their soul."_

"Don't even joke right now. I'm already dreading it."

" _You're the one who interacted with him first, remember?"_

Rolling her eyes, Jazlyn corrected, "He found me first and offered to teach me the ropes before I got thrown in the slammer."

Sly was beginning to get antsy the longer they talked, and she could completely understand since the raccoon could easily decipher Enyd's name in the garbled mess of three different languages being mixed. She glanced over her shoulder and gave a reassuring smile before informing Duska, "I'm sure you've already got a little folder on your computer that has my name on it—you've been trying to figure me out since we met so don't bother to deny it. Go off those notes and I'll send you a list of names for you to research. Whenever you've gotten something interesting, message me."

" _The usual?"_

"Is there any other way?" She asked with a sardonic brow.

Chuckling, Duska saluted her before disconnecting from their chatroom. Jazlyn closed out of all the windows and reinforced a few of her security measures to her laptop before closing it. She'd send the list to him in a little while—right now, she needed to focus on the half-naked master thief who was waiting for a summary of everything that just happened.

He smirked, crossing his arms and her eyes were instantly on the defined muscles as they flexed. "You weren't kidding about him being thorough and a troll. Three different languages combined? Latin, especially?" He shook his head, dumbfounded yet impressed at the same time. "How long did it take you to learn all three?"

Jazlyn stood from the chair and plopped on the mattress beside him face-first, mumbling, "At least six months. Though, I cheated and had Reinhart help me some."

Whistling, Sly began to massage her back, kneading and rubbing the tension that had formed during her conversation. She moaned, unable to hold it back as he hit a particular knot, and turned her head to the side so she could watch him from one eye. He chuckled but continued his ministration without pause as he asked, "Do you know any other languages?"

Her chest began to rumble into a soft purr as she thought it over. "Obviously, those three, but I know at least two more other than English: Japanese and Mandarin."

"Cantonese or traditional Mandarin?"

"I know a little Cantonese but traditional Mandarin."

Sly hummed thoughtfully, his hands lowering until they focused more firmly on her lower back. Her tank was starting to ride up, but she didn't give a damn at this point. "This Duska, he called you 'kid' a few times. Just how old is he?"

Jazlyn blew a piece of hair from her face before answering. "About mid-thirties, but I can't give you an exact estimate. Enyd just turned twenty-eight this past February, but in terms of chronological order by age: I'm the youngest, then it's Lugia, Enyd, Duska, and Reinhart."

Before he could ask more questions not related to the real nature of the call in the first place, Jazlyn inquired, "How much of that did you understand, anyway? I know we blended three languages together, but you were able to decipher some words, right?"

"For the most part, I could tell when you were talking about how you met us and got involved to Slicer then to you. However, the details aren't very clear."

She pulled her arms out from under her and crossed them under her chin. Her tail lazily curled at the end as Sly continued his amazing backrub and she could've fallen asleep right there if he wasn't careful. "Basically, I explained vaguely how we got together as a whole and that we're dating—" she blushed slightly at the word, "—then I threatened to out him to all the gangs he's on the rocks with as well as Interpol if he told Enyd before I could. Then, he pretty much told me the same thing Lugia and Reinhart said about Slicer before I moved on to ask if he'd help me find out whether Slicer's statements hold merit."

"Good summary, but you're not telling me everything," he murmured by her ear, making her toes curl and a shiver to flow down her spine. His hands stopped moving and she began to whine, not wanting him to quit. "There was something else about Enyd the Sociopath toward the end; what was it?"

"Not fair," she pouted before relenting with a sigh. "Duska has this thing where he likes to remind me that I connected with Enyd first whenever I complain about having to introduce new people to him. He also likes to refer to him as my 'old man,' sometimes."

Appeased, Sly returned to his previous ministrations and Jazlyn began to purr once more. Before she could get too comfortable, he stopped again and asked, "Did you interact with him first?"

She turned onto her side, giving him the evil eye for teasing her like that, and ignored how close she was to his face. "Enyd happened to see me pickpocketing people in Paris a few times and set himself up as bait so he could catch me. He then led me to an alley where he quite literally beat me to a pulp before offering to mentor me."

There was anger in his eyes as she talked about Enyd's harsh treatment upon their first meeting, but she placed a paw on his cheek with a wry smile. "I needed it, Sly. I was pretty much fresh on the street and had never been in a fight before—not really. Little skirmishes are one thing, but a fight like the one Enyd gave was something I needed to learn. In the long run, it kept me alive long enough when Slicer got a hold of me."

"I'll try to keep that in mind when I meet him," Sly said, ignoring her weak attempt to joke.

It was her turn to smirk as she slid one leg between his, making his breath hitch slightly, and twisted until she was suddenly on top of him. Surprised and heat entered his dark eyes, Sly swallowed as her hair provided a white curtain between their faces. Grinning at her victory, Jazlyn lowered her face until her lips were a mere breath's away from his. Their breathing mingled together, and she struggled to keep herself from closing the small distance between their muzzles.

"I realized I never answered your earlier question," she breathed, voice husky.

His voice was just as rough as he asked, "Oh? Which one?"

"If Enyd taught me how to tackle people…" her voice a mere whisper now as her eyes ignited with an inner fire. She brushed her lips against his softly before pulling back to his left ear, loving the way his breath rushed out in a whoosh. Enjoying the power she had over him, she continued, "I actually learned that all by myself in case a certain raccoon decided to snoop where he shouldn't."

"What a good thing you did," he rasped, and Jazlyn could see his muscles bulging as he tried to keep from taking this power she had over him away. She felt touched that he was willing to let her take the lead at her own pace instead of feeling indignant that he was lettingher.

Giggling, the snow leopardess trailed a single nail down his left arm and watched as he shuddered. She licked her lips and smirked. "Who would've thought that it'd turn on said raccoon instead of ward him off. Guess I'll need a little more training, huh, Cooper?"

That was it. Before she could even blink, the master thief had switched their positions and was kissing her so fiercely that he seemed to suck all the air clear from her lungs. Gasping as he pulled away, Jazlyn barely had time to fully grasp what had happened before his teeth were nipping at her neck. She shuddered and gave a breathless squeal as she arched into him, grasping and squeezing his arms because her hands couldn't figure out what they wanted to do anymore. By the time her mind had caught up with her body, Sly had lifted her tank up and the only thing separating him from her left breast was the sports bra she wore.

Her paws finally decided that exploring the ridges of his abs were better than his arms as they moved of their own volition. She groaned as his teeth latched onto the delve between neck and collarbone while her fingers brushed and memorized and worshipped every defined part of his abdomen. Jazlyn panted then squeaked as Sly's canines bit harder, drawing blood, which he licked from her fur like it was the sweetest wine in the world. Her core warmed and tightened as she felt his tongue clean her fur—her breasts suddenly felt too confined in her bra as she shoved them further into Sly's hand.

Sly laughed softly against her throat and, finally, _finally,_ pulled the offending garment away from her claustrophobic breasts and cupped her left boob gently in his palm. His thumb brushed over her hardening nipple and Jazlyn mewled, her hands ditching their journey down his chest to hold onto his shoulders as she threw her head back. She could feel his lips widen further into a smile as he trailed kisses down her neck, her collarbone, between her heaving chest, and then, his breath teased her perked nipple.

"Please," she begged—damn, did she hate to beg, but _God_ , he was just taking his sweet ass time. Who knew when Bentley or Murray decided to barge in from the adjoined room and ruin the moment.

"Please what, _ma chère_?" He breathed, tantalizing and teasing.

Jazlyn growled, a deep throaty sound that rumbled her bones, and grasped the back of his neck in warning. She didn't appreciate his teasing at a crucial time like this, and he damn well knew that they had a limited time together before they were disturbed. Chuckling, Sly lowered his head and her nipple was being tortured by his teeth and tongue. Her entire body shuddered as she arched further, shoving her breast into his mouth because _fucking Hell_ her core was pulsing with each tantalizing suck, nip, and swirl of his tongue and teeth like they were tethered together. Mewling and writhing under him, she tried so desperately to keep her voice down in case Murray or Bentley happened to be passing their adjoined door and heard her, but Sly was determined to make her scream, it seemed.

His other hand fondled and massaged her opposite breast with gentle care while he tortured its twin relentlessly. Jazlyn's hand wound its way into his hair and her fingers clutched and pulled and twirled locks of hair around her fingers while her legs squeezed together. Or, well, they tried to as Sly placed his left knee between her legs, and suddenly, she realized how turned on the raccoon was as she felt his thick shaft brush against her outer thigh. She couldn't dwell on that train of thought for long as the raccoon pulled her nipple between his teeth and her lungs refused to take in air as she tried to scream.

She could feel his smirk against her fur as he moved from one breast to the other. Her brain was completely fried now as he took up his torturous routine again and sent her through such a loop that she thought her body was floating. So focused on his gifted tongue, she hadn't paid attention to his other hand drifting down to her pajama shorts. It wasn't until his fingers shifted the waistband slightly that her body went utterly still—forgetting all about her breast as he toyed with it like it was his favorite pastime. Her entire focus was on that hand as it disappeared into her shorts and began to slowly, carefully, flow towards her heated core.

The master thief, so confident it bordered on arrogant at times, lifted his head from her chest to look her straight in the eye. Her gaze was glazed and heated with arousal just like his, but she could see the question there. Not wanting to push her too far—knowing she wanted to protect herself from more hurt. With his hand inches away from touching _her_ , Jazlyn grabbed his chin and pulled him into another fiery kiss. By the time they parted for air, she knew.

This male was going to rock her world and continue to burrow his way into her heart's fortress until it crumbled around her. He'd be there to help her rebuild, to gather strength again, and support her throughout it all. Jazlyn let all the emotion she felt for him, the trust she had for him, speak through her eyes as she held his stare. Sly took her in, absorbing what she was attempting to convey and smiled in such a carefree way that her heart stuttered before restarting into its jackhammering beat.

"Slowly," she whispered, catching her breath as her chest heaved.

He pulled his hand free from her shorts and reached out to brush her hair away from her face. His eyes were gentle and soft, the tawny orbs bright with understanding. "I consider myself a patient mammal, Spots." That same grin lighted his face as he pressed his forehead against hers and closed his eyes. "I won't force you into anything you don't want."

Her body yearned for him—she _burned_ for him, but she was afraid of it all. Despite all the heat she felt and the _need_ for him, Jazlyn was still scared shitless—she'd never been in a relationship before. She'd never loved someone like this before, she'd never experienced anything remotely like Sly Cooper before, and she'd never _needed_ anyone this badly before. Despite her insecurities, she was sure of several things: She wasn't going to run away, not anymore; she trusted Sly utterly and completely with her life and heart; and she knew that she loved him.

 _What a day,_ she thought breathlessly as Sly rolled over onto his side and spooned her against him. Her cheeks flushed as she felt his boner rubbing against her ass, but the raccoon didn't seem bothered by it at all as he nuzzled her neck, right where he left his mark.


	14. Trust

**Hey, y'all! Quick announcement! READ ME DON'T JUST GO DOWN TO THE CHAPTER AND READ IT INSTEAD, I'M IMPORTANT TOO!**

 **(Ahem) Anyway, I'll be starting college again on January 7th and since this is my senior year, I know I'll be bogged down with work, work, work like I was this past semester. I'm going to be doing an internship as part of my education not to mention normal work as well. With that in mind, I may not be able to write or update as often as I'd like, but don't worry! I'll update sporadically if I have to, I just won't make any promises on how often that'll be or whatnot.**

 **Happy New Years!**

 **~Delyth**

* * *

 _Chapter Thirteen_

 _Trust_

" _I see,"_ Enyd said, his emotionless eyes watching her face with an intensity that sent chills down her spine. The black spot over his right eye did little to ease the cold black stare that tried to devour her soul. The husky's left eye was an icy pale blue, which was such a startling contrast to its black twin, but it did little to ease the churning in her stomach.

She'd just finished filling him in on everything that happened in the past month and a half—nearly two months now. There wouldn't be a point of trying to hide anything from him, Enyd had a way to make the strongest of mammals spill their guts to him with his stare alone. With his arms crossed, he'd taken his signature pose for making her squirm in her seat. If it wasn't for the fact he was a dangerous assassin-for-hire and her long-time friend and mentor, Jazlyn would've considered him the older brother she'd never had, but considering his narcissism and sociopathic tendencies, her relationship with him has strictly been teacher and student. Though, if anyone asked Enyd, she was considered his sister, and many have tried to convince Jazlyn to cut ties with the husky, but it was damn near impossible at this point.

All three members of the Cooper gang sat at her back in her room to listen in and provide some emotional support. She'd already warned them that Enyd was testy and moody not to mention very paranoid with a strong killing instinct. One wrong move or word from them and Enyd would make it his personal mission to hunt them down and murder them the worst way possible. Jazlyn advised them not to say a single thing during her conversation and wait until Enyd either gave them the all clear or spoke directly to them. Murray was twitching in his chair, clearly nervous and frightened of the male who could quite literally track them down with little effort. She felt sorry for making them worried and stressed, but they needed to be aware of just how dangerous Enyd was despite his boyish looks.

Bentley adjusted his glasses on his nose and twiddled his thumbs, anything to keep his mind busy while they waited for Enyd to say something. Beside him and sitting straight on the bed, Sly watched the screen with a serious, unflinching stare as the canine rubbed his chin in thought.

Jazlyn cleared her throat, losing her careful composure as she was bound to do with Enyd's heavy silences. "I apologize for not informing you sooner, Enyd. Recovering and building my strength up—"

" _I'd rather you have told me immediately about Slicer than your status with the Cooper gang's skirmish with the Klaww Gang, Ravana Jazlyn Alvah-Snowe,"_ Enyd said, monotone and face a perfect blank mask.

She didn't bother to hide her wince as he said her complete full name. No matter how cold he appeared, she knew full well that he was angry with her, but there was still relief at him focusing a majority of that rage on Slicer and not the Cooper gang. Out the corner of her eye, she could see the three boys blinking in surprise at how much the husky knew about her when she'd barely shared much about her past. She hadn't even given them her full name—not that she gave Enyd her real name when they first met either, but he was smart and had done his research in the years he mentored her. Besides, trying to keep secrets from Enyd was like trying to keep two rival gangs from killing each other on sight.

"Well," Jazlyn said, trying to keep the sarcasm from her tone, "I was in a medically-induced coma for a few days and I know better than to call you when you're busy. You taught me better than that."

" _Yes, I also taught you to keep your true name to yourself unless you trust them completely with it."_

She nodded, "I know. I told them my name after they saved me from Slicer."

" _Are they holding this life debt above your head in order to complete their own task?"_ His eyes sharpened as he shot the Cooper gang a hard look that promised death.

The snow leopardess could hear all three of their hearts racing at not only the look, but the fury in his gaze as he sized them up. Jazlyn kept her panic and fear under control as she replied, calmly, "No. I chose to stay because I plan to make Slicer regret he ever came across me."

His attention returned to her at her words and she could hear his thoughts whirring in his head as he tried to find any lies in her statement. He wouldn't find any—Jazlyn meant what she said, she was going to make Slicer pay for not only trying to assassinate her but destroy the mammal she'd become. The panther had robbed her of her confidence, her identity, and her courage to face obstacles head-on. Nothing would stop her from making him regret burning her to ash because not only would she rise from the ashes, but she would be reborn into someone stronger, vicious, and better than before.

" _You intend to take him down by yourself?"_

"I intend to take advantage of the resources I've been given thanks to _him_."

Enyd nodded, uncrossing his arms and clasping his hands in front of him. On both arms, scars ranged from shoulder to fingers, a clear show of how many times mammals have tried to kill him only to die at his own hands. _"You want to know more about him, don't you."_

Jazlyn held his stare. "I've asked Duska, Reinhart, and Lugia and they all have told me the same thing: Don't try to fight him. Don't try to find out more about him."

The husky's eyebrows furrowed, and his gaze narrowed at the mention of her other friends. _"Did you not wish to speak with me, Ravana?"_

"Regardless of what they told me, I was going to talk to you, Enyd. It was about time I gave you a status report, anyway."

" _You understand I would gladly tear anyone who harmed you limb from limb, correct?"_ At her hummed 'yes,' he continued, _"Do not assume I will scold you for interrupting me on a job, clear?"_

"Yes, sir," Jazlyn said, her shoulders drooping in relief. All the posturing and mind games were a part of their normal greeting routine—it was his way to make sure she was still sharp, but the exercise only made her more stressed and emotionally spent at the end. "I wanted to call you sooner, honest, but your…" she paused, unsure if she should mention it, but Enyd waved her to continue, clearly unbothered, "…assassination job in Iran was very high-risk and I didn't want to distract you."

He snorted. _"As much as you are considered as my student and sister to the Underworld, I would have completed the job without much difficulty."_

Sly shared a wry look with the turtle who shook his head sternly. Enyd caught the exchange and arched an eyebrow. _"Have I caused amusement to you, Cooper?"_

Jazlyn turned her chair until she could see Sly more easily without causing a crick in her neck and still keep an eye on Enyd's mood. The raccoon didn't flinch at the husky's searing stare as the two officially sized each other up. She worried her lip as Enyd took his time in eying Sly's form, his mannerisms, and everything that made the raccoon tick. It was one of the reasons why the husky was so lethal—he could deduce a mammal's weakness with one look or conversation, and it was one of the first lessons he taught Jazlyn.

"You just said something that reminded me of me," Sly said with a shrug, clearly indifferent about the entire situation but keeping his sole focus on the male watching him from Jazlyn's laptop.

"Sly acts cocky on a job and likes to make jokes when on a risky mission," she supplied when the husky glanced her way briefly for clarification.

She worried that he might take offense to that since he hated to be compared with anyone, but the snow leopardess nearly gawked as Enyd's lip quirked into a half-smile. A rare occurrence that she'd only seen every other blue moon and yet Sly Cooper had managed it. In awe, Jazlyn waited with bated breath as Enyd looked at the two other members of the Cooper gang. Apparently, they passed his inspection as he told his student, _"I have information on Slicer—his true name is Darius Sinclair and he hails from a small Russian town that has long since fallen abandoned. He is known in the Blood Circle as an enforcer and experienced hunter that tends to leave his victims in sliced pieces."_

Her heart pounded in her chest so fiercely that Jazlyn had to grasp the edge of the table at the news. She knew his true name—even if Enyd didn't share anything else, that would be more than enough to find information about the civilian life he led. Behind her, she knew without having to look that the boys were just as floored by the info as she was. They'd found so many dead ends trying to track Slicer through newspaper clippings and stories and rumors from the mafia grape vine about a panther who'd left his victims slashed until they were unrecognizable.

"You sly dog," Jazlyn breathed, unable to say much else.

Enyd preened under the praise like the show-pony he was. _"I will send you what I have gathered, but I assume you wish to know more than just his background in order to defeat him."_

He always knew when she had another vendetta no matter how hard she tried to hide it. The snow leopardess sighed, unsure on how to phrase the sentence except to blurt it out altogether. "This Darius hinted that our clans were tied together somehow. Maybe he was trying to throw me off my game, but he seems to know about my parents' business dealings."

" _What does your gut tell you?"_ Enyd leaned forward in his chair, his ears perked in her direction, and his stare drilling holes into her face.

After a moment of thought, Jazlyn answered with surety, "He knows more than what he's telling—I can't prove that he is somehow related to my parents' legacy to me yet, but he does know about my clan's business."

" _You understand that you may not like what you find out about them."_

Determination coursed through her as she straightened and held the black and blue stare of her mentor. "I want answers, Enyd. Even if it may bring more hardship or cause me to question everything again, I won't live in my ignorance any longer."

" _I always did hate your refusal for the truth,"_ the husky mused, his chuckle deep and devious. _"It is about time you learn about your clan's legacy."_

Jazlyn had an inkling that her mentor also knew more than he let on, but even if she asked him to help her find out about her clan's longstanding business, he would've refused. She knew without a doubt in her mind that he had learned far more about her history, and Jazlyn had not once asked him to reveal what he'd learned in the years she trained under him. Besides, he wanted her do the grunt work and find out herself rather than go the easy route.

"You and me both," she muttered bitterly.

" _I plan to hold off on jobs for a while,"_ he announced with little grandeur and she blinked, shocked. Enyd never wasted time on relaxing—he always worked and considered laziness a disease that he'd gladly wipe out if he could. _"You will keep me in the know about Slicer."_

An order, not a request by any means. She didn't bother to argue as she agreed.

Her teacher then addressed the Cooper gang with a firm and threatening tone that made her spine stiffen. Still in their respective seats, the boys froze and didn't twitch as Enyd said, his voice rumbling with a growl that promised violence, _"I expect each of you to protect my pet from harm; otherwise, there will be a death warrant with each of your names on it. You especially, Sly Cooper."_

With that note, Enyd abruptly ended the call as her laptop's fan whirred to life in the dead silence of the room. Jazlyn stared and stared at the screen as Enyd sent a list of files that had Slicer's personal info. She couldn't believe that the husky had actually approved of not only the Cooper gang but her dating the leader of said gang. Even when she met and introduced Lugia, Reinhart, and Duska to Enyd, he'd never given them the same amount of respect or _approval_ to be close to her until many months later. Her entire world tilted on its axis as she twirled around in the desk chair to give the three boys, who were all just as stunned by the entire interaction, a bemused glance.

Finally, Bentley—dripping with intelligence Bentley—uttered, brilliantly, "What just happened?"

Murray scratched his cheek, just as befuddled as the rest of them were. "Uh, did he like us?"

"Well, Spots?" Jazlyn turned her attention from the turtle and hippo to her boyfriend, whose face was a mixture of surprise and relief, with blank eyes. "Did we pass the Big Bad Wolf's inspection?"

Wordlessly, she nodded.

Murray hollered with joy and Bentley's entire body slumped back until he was lying on the bed. Jazlyn felt like she was going to pass out and run around the length of the room she was so elated that Enyd had given his blessing. Of course, he was still upset at her for not calling him the minute she was awake in the hospital, but honestly, when would she possibly have free time to tell him what happened when she was being watched like a hawk? Either way, she'd preferred him getting furious over that and her negligence than the Cooper gang.

"This calls for some pizza!" Murray jumped up from his chair and headed into his and Bentley's room to order some.

Bentley was still as dazed as she was, but he had enough sense to ask, "So, you weren't going to give us your full name?"

Jazlyn rubbed her face and glanced at the clock on the nightstand: 7:30 p.m. She started the call with Enyd around five o'clock and it took her almost two hours to give a thorough report about her current status. Her stomach gurgled in complaint and realized that the last time she ate was last night because she was too nervous about her call with Enyd to eat today.

"Honestly, my real name is Jazlyn Snowe, but my clan has this tradition of naming their children uniquely followed by a more modern and common name. Normally," she elaborated when Bentley and Sly continued to give her slightly confused looks, "a child is given their name after they've reached their first year, and our surname comes from a combination of our grandmother's name and our clan's name."

Curious, Sly pulled one leg up to rest his elbow on and propped his chin in his palm. "Does Ravana have a meaning?"

She smiled, her eyes still a little distant. "It means 'roaring or squealing.' Mom used to tell me that I was so loud and demanded attention when I was infant. According to her, it's derived from a word in Sanskrit that means 'a roar, yell, or cry.'" Laughing softly, Jazlyn continued, "Dad said it was either that or Ashanti, which means 'aggressive or warlike.' He said I used to pick fights with anything and everything—furniture, the wall, my brother Kae—just for the sake of hearing myself talk."

Her eyes began to water at the memories of her parents, and Jazlyn shoved it away, clearing her throat and finally coming back to Earth. Blinking back her tears, she said, "Anyway, by all instances and purposes, my name is Jazlyn Snowe, but my clan name is Ravana Jazlyn Alvah-Snowe."

"Beautiful," Sly murmured, his gaze fully on her like she was some goddess come to visit the mortals.

Bentley slowly pulled himself upright and made his way toward the door to his room. "Murray and I will come get you when the pizza is here. Also," he said, pausing in the doorframe and looking back over his shoulder at them. "I haven't found where Rajan is yet, but Reinhart and I were able to discover that he, indeed, has another Clockwerk part: the heart. I'm sure we'll learn more about its location soon, but it may take another day or two."

The raccoon nodded, "Don't overwork yourself, pal. Tell Reinhart I said thank you for giving us a hand."

With that, the turtle assured Sly that he'd pass along the message and it was only Jazlyn and the raccoon once more. The only thing that separated them from their friends were walls and a door.

Sly stood from the bed and meandered to her, nudging her legs apart with his knee, and brushed his lips against her forehead. Without her conscious consent, her body leaned against him and she sighed, the tension slowly rushing away. She breathed him in and closed her eyes as his arms wrapped around her, embracing her until Jazlyn wasn't sure where she began and he ended.

"You respect him a lot," he murmured into her hair and she nuzzled closer.

They would've been far more comfortable if they'd returned to the bed instead of Sly almost kneeling on the desk chair and her pressing her upper body against his. To her, it didn't matter because her body was finally relaxing after having a restless night trying to sleep then worrying about Enyd's numerous and possible reactions when she explained what she'd been doing for the better half of two months.

"Considering how he pretty much took me under his wing when he honestly could've killed me instead," she told him wryly, "I do. He gave me a chance to rebuild myself and become stronger."

He hummed thoughtfully, resting his chin atop her head between her twitching ears. "What would you have done if he didn't approve and placed us on his hitlist?"

As much as the thought hurt and she hated to think about all the ways to safely diffuse the situation or, in the worst case scenario, kill Enyd. "I already had plans set in case it went downhill. Enyd, despite his quirks and the fact that he doesn't really understand things like love or affection, he became very important to me in the years he trained me. If it ever came down between you, Bentley, Murray, and him, I would pick _you_. All of you over him. And the only way to keep you safe would be to kill Enyd."

"Could you do it?" Sly asked softly, rubbing her back when her shoulders stiffened. "Kill him, I mean."

She clenched her hands around his waist tighter and squeezed her eyes shut. "If I had to protect those I care for, then yeah, I'd do it without hesitation."

Despite the heavy subject, she could hear the raccoon's smile as he said, "Who would've thought almost two months ago that you'd be willing to protect us from your mentor."

Laughing softly, Jazlyn shifted a little in her seat. "I must be losing my touch or something."

Sly snorted and pulled away long enough to show her his twinkling mischievous eyes before he picked her up. Yelping in surprise, Jazlyn instinctively latched her arms around his neck to keep her steady as he adjusted his grip under her knees and headed for the bed. He placed her gently onto the covers, her arms still around his neck as he smirked at her still bewildered eyes. Chuckling, he lowered himself to the bed, his hands on either side of her head and his left knee having found its favorite place between her legs. She pulled him closer to her and he didn't put up much of a fight as their lips brushed softly against each other. Their kisses began to last longer and become more heated with each passing second, and Jazlyn gasped for air, her lips tingled and felt slightly numb from his nipping.

"You know how to make a girl forget her woes, eh, Cooper?" She grinned and rolled until he was forced to fall onto his side beside her.

"It's a gift."

"I've noticed." She wiggled towards her favorite nook between his chin and neck and curled into his chest with a sigh. Her tail wrapped around his right ankle, rubbing almost teasingly, as her body seemed to float away toward Dream Land. Closing her eyes, Jazlyn breathed in his cinnamon scent and informed him, "I'm going to nap—didn't sleep hardly at all last night."

Her head vibrated from his laughter as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Holding me hostage, are you?"

"Uh-huh, and there's no escape either."

"I'm known for twisting my way out of tight spots."

"Well, you won't succeed this time, ringtail." Her voice faded in and out as sleep was a breath away from taking her under. She didn't care that she sounded like a drunk with the amount of times her syllables slurred together.

Sly kissed the bridge of her hair and settled down more comfortably himself. "Don't think I'll mind too much this time, Ravana."

Even as her mind drifted off, her toes curled and a delicious shiver wracked her spine at his voice caressing her personal name that only family had ever called her.

 **~o~**

Stretching with a yawn and several cracks of vertebrae, Jazlyn rolled out of bed and not at all surprised to find the space where Sly had laid was empty. In fact, she could hear their shower running and had the very naughty thought of if the raccoon had to take a cold shower to deal with his hard on. Her face flushed all the way to her ears at the image of him completely bare for her eyes to see and—

 _Oh no! No! Stop that!_ Jazlyn shook her head furiously and headed for her bag to dig out some fresh clothes. She berated herself for her mind going straight to the gutter as soon as she woke up and tried to keep her hands busy instead.

Just as she began to pull her shirt over her head, the door to Bentley and Murray's room slammed open and startled her into freezing with her arms above her and bra and torso bare. Bentley was already spouting out some longwinded explanation that she couldn't even begin to follow, and she released a sigh of relief when the turtle was so engrossed in whatever he was saying that he hadn't noticed her in the middle of changing. She pulled her shirt back over her head and sat in the nearest chair and pretended to understand the monologue.

"Wait, wait!" She held up her hands, finally unable to listen anymore. The turtle snapped his mouth shut with a click and flushed. "Can you slow down a little, Bentley? I just woke up and my brain isn't really working right now."

"Oh," he cleared his throat awkwardly, "I know where Rajan is hiding."

She raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Lemme guess, he's deeper in the tropical forest."

"Yes, in the ruins of an ancient temple."

Jazlyn prevented herself from groaning at the humidity and heat of the forest and asked, "When're we leaving?"

"Well, I want to get a head start tomorrow morning since it's pretty far from Mumbai. There's also a high probability that we'll have to travel on foot to reach the temple."

She already knew this trip was going to suck for obvious reasons but having to carry heavy equipment for God only knew how far was gonna be a huge pain in the ass. Jazlyn sighed, "Alright, I'll pass it along to Sly. Did Murray save any pizza?"

As it turned out, the hippo did, indeed, save them some pizza—in fact, they had an entire box for themselves. Her stomach grumbled as she grabbed a few plates they'd bought from a nearby convenience store and placed several slices on it before popping it into the microwave for a few seconds. She hated eating cold pizza—or anything for that matter unless it was yogurt and ice cream. Humming, Jazlyn tapped the countertop to their kitchenette while she waited.

Her ears swiveled toward the sound of light footsteps whispering along the hardwood, and she grinned. When she sensed his breath hovering near the back of her neck, she turned on her heel and pounced on him.

Laughing, Sly braced for impact and grunted slightly as her weight fell full force on him. Jazlyn's smirk widened as she pinned his arms above his head and growled playfully as she leaned down to nuzzle his damp cheek. His upper torso was bare for her eyes to explore hungrily as she took in every ounce of fur and defined muscle she could see. What she hadn't noticed was his towel tied at his hips and the only thing separating her from his twitching member as she wiggled slightly. Her lips twisted into a seductive grin as he hissed at the pressure and his arms quivered with the need to take control of the situation, but to his credit, he let her do what she wanted.

She pressed a soft kiss to the corner of his mouth and caressed his pectorals with definite slowness, enjoying the way he panted underneath her and his body arching to her touch. Sly's eyes were shut and she could see him concentrating to prevent himself from rolling her over and asserting his dominance over the snow leopardess. Jazlyn only loved him more for that as she kissed his pulsing jugular and licked away some of the dripping water from the thick fur separating her canines from his carotid artery. Her hands wandered lower as they explored the ridges in his fur from his abs and with her other hand, she circled his left nipple teasingly. She watched him strain for self-control as his jaw clenched and Jazlyn felt her core flood with warmth at the sexy display.

Jazlyn licked her lips and finally, paid attention to his mouth and Sly attacked her with such ferocity that she completely lost herself to it. She couldn't think coherently anymore as he gave in to his passion and rolled them until she was again under him with his arms supporting himself on either side of her head. She wanted him closer—she didn't want any space between them as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down. His bare torso brushed against her shirt, the fabric quickly becoming wet, and she groaned into his mouth as his tongue caressed an eyetooth. Once more, her hands wandered until they were dangerously close to his towel, and they both tensed, bracing for whatever her hands decided because Jazlyn didn't have the conscious strength to direct them anymore.

"Careful, Ravana," Sly grounded out between clenched teeth, his voice hoarse and filled with sexual seduction that her body shuddered. "I won't be able to stop myself and I promised to go slow."

Oh, she hadn't forgotten what she'd told Sly. Yes, she wanted to go slower because Lord knows where this relationship was going to go, but Jazlyn wasn't going to twiddle her thumbs and wait for him to instigate. She wanted an equal partnership—someone who would see her as an equal, not submissive or dominant.

Even her clan name sounded blissfully different as her back arched and pulled him closer. He didn't resist as he shifted them around until they were both on their sides on the floor. Neither raccoon nor snow leopardess cared as Jazlyn nuzzled her face into his chest, breathing deeply as his arms wrapped around her. His hands rubbed her back until she was nothing but a purring mess of pudding and his raspy chuckles weren't helping as they whispered by her ears.

"I know we just had a very…heated moment," she began but stopped when Sly hit a particular spot and she moaned. God help her, but she couldn't _think_ straight with him touching her like that. His laugh made her ears twitch, and she tried to calm her racing heart and the pure _yearning_ she felt for him right then. "Bentley came while you were in the shower still."

"Hmmm?" He hummed, his knuckles kneading gently between her shoulder blades.

She gasped, her body writhing and going limp at the same time. "He…ah…found Rajan."

"That was fast," Sly said, his teeth latched onto her ear and she shivered as his teeth teased her. "I figured we'd at least have another day or two before he and Reinhart found anything."

Her tail wrapped tightly around his ankle, acting as an anchor as she tried to keep her head from overflowing with fog. So far, she was failing miserably. "Leaving tomorrow. Rajan's holed up in ancient temple ruins in the deep jungle."

The raccoon only pulled lightly on the tip of her ear in response and Jazlyn tilted her head up to bite his shoulder. He didn't flinch at the light nip as his hands traveled from her shoulders to the hem of her shirt. The snow leopardess writhed against him as he released her ear only to focus on the other one as he lifted her shirt. With little care, she moved away from him to pull the damp material over her head before returning to her mark and nursing it gently. Her lips upturned at his shudder and she echoed him as his fingers brushed the strap of her bra.

"What were you doing before deciding to pounce me?" Sly breathed into her ear and Jazlyn bit back a guttural purr as his fingers rubbed her back in small circles.

She swallowed thickly, her mouth suddenly dry as she canted her head back to meet his fiery gaze. "Reheating pizza. Murray actually saved us a whole box full for us."

He smiled and kissed her forehead. "Well, we shouldn't waste it. I hope you don't mind sharing a chair," he nodded toward the large desk chair.

Jazlyn was proud of herself for not blushing at his suggestion. "Only if you put on some boxers. Wouldn't want to tempt you further."

Chuckling, he sat up and pulled her along with him to their feet. While he headed to his bag to dig for some boxers, Jazlyn stumbled toward the small kitchenette with the plates of pizza. Even as she pulled out the first plate of reheated pizza from the microwave, her legs felt like jelly and her body felt buzzed from the adrenaline and pleasure. God, he just made her want to throw in the towel and just have it out right on that floor—screw the consequences.

She shook her head to clear it as she stuck the second plate of pizza into the microwave for Sly and tried to keep herself from listening to fabric sliding over fur as Sly rustled behind her.

"So, we're leaving tomorrow for these ruins Rajan is using as a fortress?" Sly asked behind her. The only sign that he was just as affected by their momentary passion was the rasp in his voice.

There was so much arousal flowing throughout their room that Jazlyn had to clear her throat twice before answering. "Yeah, he said Rajan has the Clockwerk heart, but didn't go into too much detail about the ruins' significance other than a secondary stronghold."

"How long?"

"At least two full days—and it depends how long it takes us to trek through the forest. We won't be able to take the van all the way there." Jazlyn didn't bother to hide her despair over the fact they'd have to walk through the hot, humid jungle while carrying heavy equipment.

Sly wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his head atop hers. She could hear the grin in his tone as he said, "I'm sure it won't be _too_ far."

"Somehow, I doubt your optimism."

"Bentley could always create a new gadget that'll help with the load."

Jazlyn rolled her eyes and reached up to thump the raccoon on the forehead. "As much of a genius he is, I highly doubt he could make something tonight that'll work within the next few days without testing it first. Not to mention, the poor turtle will need to sleep at some point. He's not a robot, Sly."

She felt him move one hand to rub at the sting and said, "I know that, but knowing him, he definitely has a plan."

In the end, she only shrugged in response. Sly's ability to put the utmost faith and trust in his friends was one of the many reasons she liked him. He may have been arrogant and full of charm, but underneath it all, he was loyal and he loved his friends as if they were his family. Jazlyn, on the other hand, was still coming to terms with working together with them all, but she didn't hate it. In fact, she enjoyed every second of it and even though she was still learning to trust them in the field, she did know that Bentley was more than capable with making plans and backup plans to his backup plans.

Trust was earned, and all three members of the Cooper gang had wormed their way in through different cracks in her armor.

As the microwave beeped, Jazlyn pushed the cuddly raccoon with a quiet giggle as she opened the door and pulled the pizza out. She breathed deeply as melted cheese, marinara, and sausage wafted into her nostrils. Oh, she was definitely going to fall into a food coma by the time she finished this.

Good thing she could sleep on the way once they were packed and loaded. Now, all she had to do was prepare herself for the agonizing hike through the humid and hot jungle.


	15. The Ruins

**_YAY! I'm back! Sorry for the long wait, y'all. A lot happened my senior semester that required me to take a break and just focus on me for awhile. On a brighter note, home girl finally graduated with a BA in English. WOOOOOOOOOO!_**

 _ **Anyway, I'll keep this short. Since it's been long since I've written this story, I need to spend some time re-familiarizing myself with it all. So, that means going back to the beginning and reading. This chapter was already written and plotted out, so that's why it's being uploaded. I know it sucks, but it might be a few weeks before the next chapter is up and I apologize for that. But, thank you to everyone who's read and reviewed or fave'd this story. I'm not going to give up on it because I love these characters too much to do so.**_

 _ **Enjoy the chapter!**_

 _ **~Delyth**_

* * *

 _Chapter Fourteen_

 _The Ruins_

Her fur was matted from the amount of sweat that flowed from her pores in a vain attempt to keep her cool as they trekked through the jungle. So far, they'd barely made it past the three-mile mark in under five hours. If it wasn't for the perilous journey to the temple—meaning the random patches of quick sand that nearly swallowed Murray, thick foliage that their machete had difficulty cutting, and the various obstacles they had to lift the makeshift wagon Bentley made through together to carry their equipment—they probably would've been to the temple already. Jazlyn growled as another branch caught in her thick fur and she cursed inelegantly under her breath as she slashed the branch in two with her claws. Screw the machete—she had sharper knives than that damn thing.

The last two hours of walking was spent in darkness and Jazlyn leading the way as her eyes were much more accustomed to pitch blackness than the others. She was ready to curse every god she could think of for creating the tropical rainforest and humidity, but paused on the edge of the underbrush, her ears perking up as she caught an unfamiliar sound from the forest. Behind her, the Cooper gang stopped just at her back, their murmuring voices dying as they took in her alert stance. She tilted her head, trying to hear better, and when that didn't work, she took a cautious step forward.

Heavy stomps and grunts from elephants were the first thing she was able to identify as she drew closer. Peering through the underbrush separating her from the patrolling rhino guards and the working elephants, she noticed that the temple ruins were a lot bigger than she initially thought and a majority of the ancient structures were pretty much intact. That probably had more to do with Rajan using this place as his spice operation Bentley had explained the day before while they travelled via van. She also noticed a giant makeshift satellite created from bamboo, wood, and stone from the surrounding ruins and the elephant that was currently making all of the noise as it walked in a circle.

Narrowing her eyes, she surveyed the surrounding area for a possible hideout for them. They'd need to be able to sneak in and out while making trips from the cart for their equipment without attracting too much attention. She saw an old and magnificent building in the far distance that was balanced precariously on a tree and knew without having to ask the others that wouldn't be a great place to plan. To her right was what appeared to be an ancient snake head carved from the stone and attached to a sturdy tree. It was high up in the air, away from the ground and any guards who might want to investigate if they saw any lights illuminating the snake's eyes. The only problem now was how to get not only Bentley and Murray up there, but the rest of the equipment.

She saw a stone structure that must've been a part of an old building and there looked to be a large mushroom at the base of both the slab and again at the top of it where they could reach the snake head's platform. Now, she just needed to test her theory and see if the mushrooms would catapult them up if they jumped on it.

The snow leopardess turned to explain what she was seeing to the Cooper gang and the potential hideout. Bentley walked beside her and pulled out his binocucom to assess the situation as well. After several minutes of observing the surrounding area, he nodded. "Those giant mushrooms look like they'll serve as trampolines for us to reach that platform. We'll need to be careful of the foot patrol guards during the transport."

"Piece of cake," Sly said, stretching his arms over his head and smirking.

Jazlyn rolled her eyes and returned her attention to the guards making their rounds for the night. "This place is crawling with more guards than his palace estate. So far, I can see about twenty to twenty-five guards patrolling this one area—they're a lot closer together than before. Rajan's not taking any chances this time, it seems."

Murray smashed his fist into his palm, clearly excited by those odds while Bentley listened intently to her assessment. Her eyes noted the pattern of walking guards and how long it took for them to complete a full circuit of the area. She glanced down at their cart then to Murray with a calculating eye, and Sly caught her stare and raised an eyebrow as he watched her. Then, he understood what she had circling around in her head.

"Hey, pal," Sly clapped the pink hippo on the arm. "Think you could carry this cart and save us the trip?"

Jazlyn snickered quietly as Murray rubbed his hands together and proceeded to lift the wagon that held all of Bentley's precious gadgets and electronics like they weighed nothing. Despite his spectacular lift, she could see his arms quiver at the strain and she turned to look at the rhinos again. Her muscles tensed in anticipation as she waited patiently for the perfect gap between guards, then she whispered, "Go."

Following closely behind her, Bentley and Murray hurried across the empty space from the tree line to the first mushroom. Sly took the rear in case he needed to provide a distraction while Bentley and Murray reached the stone slab. Jazlyn motioned for Murray to go first and prayed that the mushroom would be able to lift his heavier frame and the cart's weight without much trouble. Thankfully, the hippo launched into the air and landed somewhat loudly on the former stone home. Bentley was next, and the turtle gasped as he was thrusted upward so quickly and high that Murray had to put the cart down in order to catch him. She tried to control her giggle as she jumped and pulled herself up onto the stone slab, Sly not a second behind her as a rhino rounded the corner where they just were.

"Cutting it close, eh, Cooper?" She grinned, punching his shoulder lightly.

He chuckled, "I live for the danger."

"Oh, we know." Jazlyn followed after Bentley and Murray as they prepared for the next jump.

Before the master thief could retort, the turtle said, "Sly, while we're setting up the hideout, go take a few recon photos. Especially of that satellite array."

With a cheeky salute, Sly headed for taller position to take a photo of the satellite while they worked on their safehouse.

 **~o~**

"Oh, _you've got to be kidding me!_ "

"Spots—"

" _Don't you fucking dare, Sly Cooper._ " Jazlyn snarled, rounding on him with such fire in her eyes that the green had almost been completely overwhelmed by it. Immediately, the raccoon put his hands up in the air, valuing his life more than protecting Bentley from her ire. Murray, the largest amongst them, tucked himself into the smallest corner and tried to avoid the snow leopardess's wrath.

Bentley stood his ground, albeit a little shakily considering the rage in her face as she returned her attention to him. "Until we know where Slicer is, we can't risk you getting caught alone with him."

She gritted her teeth, trying (and failing) to bite back the guttural growl from echoing around the small space in the serpent's head. "You need me out there, Bentley. Slicer or no Slicer."

"And if you face him again—can you handle the emotional upheaval his presence will bring?"

 _Low blow,_ she thought inwardly. Her eyes narrowed into near slits and her paws fisted at her sides. "I am _not_ going to just twiddle my thumbs while the rest of you risk your lives."

"It's still too big of a risk, Jazlyn. I'm sorry, but you should stay out of sight until we find him."

Jazlyn prided herself for not having that big of a temper, but damn it, she deserved a good tantrum after hearing the turtle tell her she wasn't going to go on any jobs until Slicer was in their sights or they were out of the jungle. Her teeth flashed in the poor lighting and before she said something she'd regret later, Jazlyn turned on her heel and headed out of the safehouse with a slam of the makeshift door. She felt the fury in her blood reach its crest as she thought about how fucking _right_ the infuriating turtle was, and she slammed her claws deep into the bark of the tree holding a part of their safehouse in the air.

Did she understand their concerns? Yes, of course, she fucking did. She'd be a damn idiot if she rushed off into the vast unknown of these temple ruins and ran into Slicer by herself again. The only reason why she hadn't lost herself to his presence was the adrenaline of the heist and ensuring that they pulled it off without the panther destroying everything. Did she honestly believe that she'd be able to handle another encounter with the panther by herself? No, she'd probably break a little more trying to keep the pieces of her soul together.

Taking deep breaths to quell the raging inferno, she ignored the door opening and closing again. Her fiery greens glared into the dreary darkness as she braced her hands against the hand-made railing of bone and stone shaped like teeth. Her long, fluffy tail jerked back and forth in rhythm with her anger as she watched the beginning of another tropical rain shower.

"Say what you want, Sly," Jazlyn said, not looking behind her. The minute he closed the door, she recognized his soft steps and the rush of cinnamon entered her nose as the wind shifted its direction.

Ignoring her huffy attitude, the master thief leaned against the railing beside her and waited calmly until she finally turned to look at him. His eyes were deep as his gaze peered into her soul, piercing her with those dark orbs until she nearly lost herself in them. She shook her head clear and looked away again with a frustrated sigh.

"Bentley has good intentions, Ravana," he said after another minute of silence, using her true name once again. The only time he'd use it—whenever they were alone and living in their own little world. "I know we can't keep you from completing jobs in the future—not that I'd want to keep you cooped up either—but you heard him. We're almost two-hundred miles away from the nearest hospital. If any of us get seriously injured, there's no guarantee that we'll make it this time."

"I know that," she sighed, rubbing her face as the anger in her slowly dissipated. "Excuse me if I hate being on the sidelines, and I highly doubt Slicer will just assume I'm not here. Who's to say he won't come searching for me?"

Before Sly could argue, she interrupted, "Look, I won't go out until we know where he is, _but_ there's nothing to stop him from searching for me and finding our safehouse."

"We can handle that when and if it happens."

Jazlyn rolled her eyes but didn't argue back. She knew how hard-headed all three males were and once they rallied together, there was nothing to convince them. "Well, Sly, get going. You heard Bentley, we need to get rid of the satellite array before we do anything else."

He flashed a smirk in her direction and cupped her cheek, his eyes softening. The master thief leaned forward and placed a peck to her forehead. "I'll be back soon. Try not to break anything else, okay?"

Swatting at him with sheathed paws, she kept the blood from rushing to her cheeks at the claw marks etched into the bark beside her. Laughing, Sly jumped down from the platform and made his way to an old, tall tree that had long ago lost its leaves for the spice plant he needed to place in the elephant's feedbag. As per usual, the gang was starting things off with a bang.

She watched him climb up the tree to grab the plant until he disappeared from her line of sight. The rain helped relax her tense muscles as she watched the elephant attached to Rajan's satellite array continue to go round and round. She felt a little bad for the poor creature, being tied up then being fed a bunch of spice plants that would make it go mad.

With that happy thought, Jazlyn decided to go back inside and apologize to the turtle. It wasn't fair to take out all of her frustration and anger on him.

Needless to say, Bentley wasn't all that upset at her after she came back inside to apologize. He simply shrugged the entire ordeal off with little fanfare and told her to help setup the rest of their gear while he communicated with Sly. Between her and Murray, their safehouse was looking more like a step-up from their cave near Rajan's palace city. She'd been busy arranging the rather small living quarters to suit all of them and, with very little ventilation in the serpent's head, Jazlyn felt like she was melting from the outside-in she was so hot. Despite her tank and shorts, she was contemplating just walking around in her sports bra and a pair of thin, flimsy pajama shorts since she was bound to the safehouse for a while.

She sighed, still mulling over the pros and cons when she heard, _"Hey, pal? Think I just saw Neyla nearby."_

"What? Where?"

Jazlyn meandered over to the table and hovered by Bentley's shoulder, a scowl pulling at her muzzle as she listened to the rain and static filter through Sly's mic. _"It was brief but looked like she headed to the north of the ruins. Should I follow her?"_

Bentley bit his lip, thinking. She was becoming a little antsy the longer he remained silent until he shook his head. "No, stick to the original plan for the satellite array."

" _Got it."_ And without another word, Sly ended the transmission and headed to the next spot Bentley created a waypoint to.

"Jazlyn, what're you thinking?"

She raised an eyebrow at the green turtle as he swiveled a little in his chair to look at her. It was obvious to all of them that she didn't trust the Constable not to mention that the snow leopardess didn't like her one bit. Maybe it had a lot to do with the way the tigress had dismissed her too easily at the ball and ogled Sly like he was a piece of meat, but more than that, there was _nothing_ about Neyla that signaled that she could be trusted (at least to her and she was not only biased but she didn't trust easily in the first place). There was also the fact that Neyla's eyes were full of cunning and intelligence—the kind of intelligence not many people would notice at first glance, not until it was too late and they were caught in her trap.

"Other than the fact that I'm glad I don't have to deal with that bitch right now?" Bentley's lips quirked a little and he waited for her to continue. She looked away from his thoughtful gaze and stared out the built-in windows. "There's no way she could find out where Rajan's spice operation is this quickly. It took us almost two weeks before we found anything—and that's with Reinhart's help. Not to mention, Neyla should still be busy dealing with the hordes of corrupted businessmen Interpol caught at Rajan's ball. How could she even get here without Carmelita knowing _or_ Interpol, for that matter? It's fishy and I'll say it again: I don't trust her."

Murray swallowed the fistful of chips he'd gotten from their snack bin. "D'you really think she's just leading us on?"

Jazlyn nodded, "Don't have any proof other than my own suspicions and observations, but it's still something to think about."

"I agree with you, Jazlyn, but she has helped us in the past— _twice_." Bentley returned to his laptop, monitoring Sly's progress.

"To gain your trust," she argued. "Just because she leads Sly to a back entrance with the key and helped us out with Carmelita at the ball, doesn't mean shit. She could be plotting how to take credit for the capture of Sly Cooper and his gang and move up the ranks." When Bentley opened his mouth to rebuke her, she added, "Look, all I'm sayin' is y'all should be more careful about blindly trusting her. She's still an Interpol agent—no matter how differently she sees and interprets the law."

The turtle grew silent, mulling over what she said while Murray continued to snack. When neither one said anything more, she sat at the table across from Bentley and picked at her claws with growing boredom.

After another fifteen minutes spent in silence, Jazlyn sighed and pulled her own laptop out to dig through the files Enyd had sent her. If she was going to be stuck in the safehouse, she may as well do something useful in the long run.

 _In order to defeat your target,_ Enyd used to tell her, _you must first learn every single bit of information about him._

She berated herself for the next fifteen minutes as her cursor hovered over the first file for her hesitancy. This wasn't the time to be scared of what she might learn about the panther that became obsessed with her and wanted to play mind games. Convincing herself that this was just like any other research she'd do before a heist on security procedures and the like, Jazlyn finally opened the first folder and began to read Enyd's notes on Darius Sinclair, a.k.a. Slicer.

As her eyes skimmed the first few paragraphs of his early childhood, she was somewhat disconcerted that not even Enyd had much information on Darius and his life before he turned thirteen. The only thing Enyd knew about his childhood was where he lived in Russia, the family dynamic (unstable and filled with abuse), and the massacre of the village not too long after the panther left. Perplexed by this, she continued to read over her mentor's notes about the village's untimely and bloody end. According to Enyd, the village came under fire, literally, by a mysterious gang of outsiders who decimated the town and its inhabitants by ransacking the merchant classes' homes while slaughtering every man, woman, and child until the icy snow was painted red with their blood.

She squinted as a particular note Enyd made caught her attention: _The same mysterious massacre that befell the Alvah-Snowe clan of the Himalayans. Survivor reports tell of mysterious metal wings beating in the night as well as sightings of the Fiendish Five._

The Fiendish Five? Wasn't that…?

Jazlyn's eyes widened, and she reeled back until she almost fell out of her chair. Her mind whirred and grinded to a halt at the newfound information of that night her entire family was murdered. She hadn't expected to find any kind of hint from Enyd about her clan's mysterious death or that the ones behind it was the notorious group led and formed by Clockwerk himself. Why would the Fiendish Five destroy this village let alone her home and family? Was this the connection Slicer was talking about? She'd only expected to find his minimal history before he disappeared from the grid completely like she had—not this macabre connection that tied his village's massacre to her clan's mysterious death.

Her ears were roaring with noise and she shoved her laptop away—unwilling to look at it while her mind was being weighed down by confusion and memories of the worst night of her life. Memories that had long since been buried to the deepest depths in order to forget the horrors that she suffered.

"Jaz?" Murray asked, his hand touching her shoulder and causing her to jump a foot in the air. She'd been so engrossed in trying to keep herself together that she'd forgotten Murray and Bentley were still in the same room. "What's wrong?"

Instead of answering, she took a deep breath and tried to quiet the roaring sea of her mind at the unearthed truth she wasn't aware she'd be finding so soon. After a few minutes of silence and ignoring the concerned glances between the hippo and turtle, Jazlyn closed her eyes and rubbed her face. "I just…I found something I didn't expect is all."

"About Slicer?" Like her, Bentley and the guys couldn't say the panther's real name. Not only was it strange, but it made him seem more like them and none of them could come to terms with that yet.

"Both," she whispered.

Bentley paused in his typing and Murray took a seat beside her, grasping her quivering hand in his. By some miracle, she kept herself from freaking out anymore on the outside and kept the majority of her turmoil locked inside to tear and shred and burn and freeze every part of her mind and soul. She latched onto Murray's big fingers like a lifeline in the storm she'd willingly released inside.

"Do ya wanna talk about it?" The pink hippo asked, voice soft while his hand patted hers and squeezed back.

Did she ever want to talk about what Enyd had, undoubtedly, shared with her on purpose through this one out of who knows how many side-notes in the files? Maybe, but she needed to learn more than what she knew. She needed to thoroughly read each and every piece of Slicer's history before she started to make links with her own. For now, she'd store this piece of info into a box to deal with later, which meant waiting to tell them exactly what had set her off into a panic.

She lifted her head and stared at her laptop—the same file still leering at her from the screen and seemingly, laughing at her overreaction. When she finished this, and there was no doubt that she'd finish before the night ended, she was going to share what she'd learn and then chew Enyd out. Maybe. If she was willing to push the husky's buttons.

In the meantime, Jazlyn finally answered, "Not yet. I was just shocked was all." She paused, flicking her gaze to Murray's hand still holding hers. "But, um, Murray, could you…?"

He smiled and nodded without saying another word. Gratitude poured from her eyes as she smiled at him before pulling her laptop back toward her and telling Bentley she'd explain as soon as she had all the facts. The turtle watched her face for several minutes before returning to his own research while also checking on Sly. Boy, were the three boys going to be in for a shock when she told them what subtle hint Enyd slammed her with.


End file.
